Best of Blacktown

Winners: The Blacktown Local Business Awards typify the commitment to excellence among the local business community.

RIGHT HERE – RIGHT NOW Blacktown’s a growth standout

 STEPHEN BALI

Blacktown City is one of the best kept secrets regarding economic activity. How often do we hear about the massive Government investment into Parramatta, Liverpool and Penrith council areas and Blacktown City struggles to get its fair share?

Blacktown City’s economic growth over the past fi ve years to June 2021, including the COVID lockdowns was 4.4% per annum. The annual growth over the past 5 years is a mixed story with preCOVID economic growth at 6.75% p.a., followed by a 1.1% contraction in 2020, with a rebound in 2021 of 1.5%.

Comparing Blacktown City to the combined council regions of Penrith and Liverpool, the combined councils are economically larger by 12% but economic growth rate was at three-quarters the pace of Blacktown.

Blacktown City is currently a $22.35B economy with almost 200,000 residents employed and 153,000 jobs located in the area with over 27,000 registered businesses. In twenty years, Blacktown City economy is expected to pass $52B with a population larger than Tasmania.

The ingredients are all present for entrepreneurial success in Blacktown. Blacktown City has a booming population through the north-west growth area; the establishment of Australian Catholic University in Blacktown CBD and three TAFE colleges to improve skills and knowledge; and one of the fastest regional economic growth rates in the country.

Where are the future business opportunities in Blacktown?

Artist impression of a future Blacktown CBD.

The professional, technical, and fi nancial service job opportunities has lagged in Blacktown compared to rest of Australia.

Many people, whether growing up in Blacktown City or through professional migration programs fi nd it diffi cult to obtain professional work in Blacktown and have to travel into Sydney for high value jobs.

The recent pandemic and the growth in working from home will bring more high value jobs into Blacktown with the potential expansion of shared offi ces in the local area set to soar.

Manufacturing continues to be a major employer in the region. From 2001

Key Employment Categories in Blacktown City

2021 2041 estimates

Gross Regional Product $22.35 billion $52.88 billion Population 405,000 612,500 Local jobs 153,160 275,000 Employed residents 193,998 330,000 Registered local businesses 27,247 44,000 Economic Growth 1.1% 4.4% to 2015 the industry has only marginally increased but since 2016 the sector grew over 20% in output with only 3% increase in jobs.

Blacktown manufacturers are substantially improving productivity with innovative new technologies with a relatively stable workforce but there is a demand to improve workers skills so the industry remains competitive.

Healthcare and welfare sectors are set to increase substantially. Many factors contribute to this including population increase; improved health support services; the need to provide important mental health and welfare support services.

Hotel accommodation supporting the visitor economy is set to grow with major hotel chains negotiating to commence new construction. Motor racing park, Sydney zoo, Featherdale, Sydney Coliseum at WestHQ; Raging Waters plus the new sport and recovery centre in Blacktown International Sports Park are set to transform the visitor economy in the coming years.

Tertiary education is set to expand in Blacktown City with Australian Catholic University (ACU) anticipating to reach 5,000 students in the 5 years. ACU is providing local residents opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge for the future. ACU is off ering courses in nursing, sports science, teaching, business, law and social science; all these areas will be the growth opportunities for the future.

The place to maximise your future is right here in Blacktown City!

Stephen Bali is State Member for Blacktown.

General Economic Data for Blacktown City

Sector Employment Numbers

Value Added $m

Retail & Wholesale Trade 26,606 3,217.7 Transport, Postal, & Warehousing 19,887 2,687.4 Construction 18,472 2,505.7 Health Care & Social Assistance 18,419 1,420.7 Manufacturing 17,644 2,130.6 Public Admin, safety, support 12,781 1,493.1 Education & Training 11,855 921.5 Services: professional, scientifi c & technical 10,932 1,001.2 Food & Accommodation 6,178 262.9 Financial, real estate, media & communication 4,395 200.8 Arts & Recreational 2,281 135.6

Women With Altitude Zoom awards event.

BRINGING CITY QUALITY OUT WEST Time to explore hybrid events

SYDNEY Event Technical Specialists is an Audio-Visual production company based at Blacktown.

Its mission is to help people hold events by bringing city quality events out west, without the big price tag.

Meet the team

Chris has been in the industry for 10+ years, he has worked as a senior tech for most major AV companies in Sydney across all departments. Chris has been a production manager, system designer, skills assessor, and trainer.

Michelle is the main contact for SETS and the project manager. Working in the industry for two years she brings her background in management and sales. Michelle is a lighting and vision operator with a major focus on video recording and editing.

Events run smoothly

SETS works with you to ensure your event runs smoothly. They focus on the tech so you can relax and enjoy your event.

They will work with you prior to ensure that on event day you can relax with the knowledge they know your requirements. They work with your budget and integrate with venue systems so you’re not paying for things twice.

Awards on Zoom

SETS worked with Women With Altitude on the Altitude Awards 2021. Chris and Michelle focused on streamlining AV and were responsible for streaming the event to zoom for members who were unable to attend due to covid restrictions.

Here is what some of them have to say:

“I loved watching the awards on zoom!! It was great to interact through the chat with others and feel part of the event, even though we weren't there in person!!”

“Watching the WWA Awards night on the screen in my loungeroom felt like I was watching a big celebrity event. The

Chris Mathers. Chris Mathers.

fi lming was so good that it was like a whole crew was there making it happen. I was so impressed.”

“Attending the Women With Altitude Awards was such a great experience even if we had to do it via Zoom. I love tech! We were able to tune in and see it all. It was great. It was like we were in the room. I loved that we had the best seats in the house. Close up and personal....good view from every angle.”

Hybrid Events a great option

Although restrictions have eased, there are still some people uncomfortable with being out and about or presenters who may be symptomatic but well enough to present virtually, therefore hybrid events are a great option, they give more fl exibility.

Sydney Events Technical Specialists is a one-stop-shop with all your AV and streaming covered, you’re not having to manage multiple companies trying to integrate.

Joeseph Essay.

THE FINANCIAL FORMULA FOR GAINING My passion for business owners

 JOSEPH ESSEY

THE title of management consultant or business advisor is not a label I have always worn comfortably.

In my experience, as a small business owner myself for many years, consultancy services were rarely coming from people who understood my business and in particular the unique challenges of a small business owner.

So, when I came to a crossroads in my own career and was considering providing consultancy services, it was important to me that I would be able to off er businesses a pragmatic service that delivers value by servicing the unique challenges of small business owners.

My professional background is quite diverse, but the common theme is that my experience is fi rmly rooted in the world of small to medium size and family run businesses.

My experience in small business management started in my family’s distribution business where from a young age I was doing everything from making orders to calling customers for money.

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Call 0430 290 657 or email sanjay@reya.com.au to start your financial journey NOW!

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Contact Details: Sanjay on 0430 290 657 Email: SANJAY@REYA.COM.AU Web: WWW.REYA.COM.AU

Passion helping small businesses

While my career has seen me take on roles across fi nance, marketing, and business management in businesses of diff erent sizes, my passion and much of my experience has been in helping small businesses to grow and achieve their goals.

This includes helping to build my families own fast growing business, as the company’s Chief Financial Offi cer (CFO), and then orchestrating its multi-million-dollar sale in 2018.

I have also recently joined the Greater Blacktown Business Chamber and look forward to making a positive contribution to the local Blacktown business community.

Joining Business Growth and Exit Specialists (BGES) was a natural fi t for me as it is an organisation that helps small to medium sized business owners to grow their business profi tability and set themselves up for a successful Exit when the time is right.

I know fi rst-hand how hard this can be, the challenges small businesses in this situation face and the successful strategies that they can employ to overcome these.

As a Virtual CFO I provide busy business owners with the fi nancial and commercial information they need to be able to make the right decisions to grow their business.

Establishing financial roadmap

The practical services I off er can include establishing a fi nancial roadmap or budget, cashfl ow management and forecasting, concise performance reporting including easy to read dashboard summaries for business owners and managers, process and accounting systems implementation and improvement and accounts and offi ce team mentoring.

Importantly, my services are completely fl exible and cost-eff ective as I can tailor them to provide only the support that is needed.

What I love about being part of the wider BGES team is that it also allows me to off er these services as part of a more holistic approach with access to business strategy, operations and sales and marketing, strategic human resources experts, and legal services with a proven track record.

This ultimately helps me to better fulfi l my passion of helping owners grow successful, high-value businesses.

By Joseph Essey is Associate Partner–Small Business Advisory and Financial Control at Business Growth and Exit Specialists. Visit www.bges.co

COVID myths dispelled by our panel of international experts in these two powerful ZOOM round tables.

SECRET TO AYANA’S SUCCESS Finding the right kind of study

FIND something that gives you hope for the future, then find people who will sit with you, guide you, and help you.”

This is expert advice from Anya, one of the great stories from Macquarie Community College.

“We need help in the right way. I found this at Macquarie Community College and it made all the diff erence.”

The answer to improving everything in a new country, Ayana has found, is study. Correction: the right kind of study.

Nowadays, Ayana is a successful worker in the Aged Care industry who enjoys heart-warming interactions with clients every day.

However, Aged Care is a diff erent industry from the one Ayana thought she’d be working in when she fi rst migrated to Australia from Ethiopia.

Ayana’s experience

Ayana is a qualifi ed dentist with a fi ve-year university degree that she earned in Ethiopia. But the barriers to entering her profession in Australia were substantial.

The Australian employment agency, whose role is to assist migrants looking for work, sent her to work at a factory production line instead of helping her fi nd the pathway to work in her fi eld.

Macquarie Community College offers a range of education options for migrant women .

In 2017, she came across the CareerPathways program. It specifi cally tailored training and services to meet the needs of migrant women experiencing barriers to work.

It was a relief to fi nally fi nd the kind of support that migrant women needed. Ayana graduated with a CHC33015 Certifi cate III in Individual Support (Ageing & Disability) and was off ered a job during her work placement – even before she graduated! She also went on to complete her Certifi cate IV.

SKILLS4You makes all the difference

The newly launched SKILLS4You program is similar to the CareerPathways program that Ayana benefi ted from. It provides a pathway for migrant women to enter careers in Aged Care, Disability Care and Child Care.

Unique to Macquarie Community College, SKILLS4You consists of quality, fee-free training that includes ‘wraparound’ services including English language and job ready skills.

The next class starts on Monday June 20, at MCC Blacktown.

Call 1300 845 888 or visit www. macquarie.nsw.edu.au/skills4you

Note: The CareerPathways Program was run by the Department of Family and Community Services in partnership with the Department of Industry and Training, for which Macquarie Community College was a training partner.

Eligibility criteria apply. Training under JobTrainer is fee-free and fully funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments. Courses delivered by Macquarie Community College (RTO 90033).

New Tavern a family friendly venue

BLACKTOWN Tavern is at the heart of family friendly dining and entertainment in the Greater Blacktown region.

The Tavern features a brand-new bistro where visitors and local resident and families enjoy mouthwatering meals.

The newly renovated property features a stunning courtyard and is the perfect pub for locals, after workers, families and everything in between.

Huge play equipment and older kids area are located right next to the bistro so families can keep the kids entertained while they catch up over classic pub food with a modern twist.

There is Live Music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday plus Monster Raffl es and a bottle shop available.

Details at: https://www.blacktowntavern.com.au/

The new look Blacktown Tavern.

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