JUNE 2019 Volume 23 // Issue 5
Club of Woodend
FIRST PUBLISHED 1997
DISTRIBUTING 3850 FREE COPIES ACROSS WOODEND’S POSTAL DISTRICT
Woodend manufacturer wins Hall of Fame Award Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas congratulated local manufacturing business Barker Trailers on taking out the Workforce Skills Development Award at Tuesday night’s Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards. “Barker are heavily committed to investing in local people and it’s fantastic to see them recognised as an industry leader for their work to enhance jobs and skills in regional manufacturing,” said Ms Thomas. Over 10 percent of Barker Trailers’ workforce are apprentices who work across various manufacturing trades including fabrication, auto-electric and vehicle spray painting. Barker Trailers have been operating in Woodend since 1974, providing semi-trailers for the road transport industry. They have close to 200 employees across two sites – Woodend and Maryborough.
The business secured $234,700 funding for their Regional Workforce Development project through the Victorian Government’s Regional Skills Fund last year. The project will enable Barker Trailers to train and
upskill 180 employees across the company’s manufacturing facilities at Woodend and create six new full-time jobs. The Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame has been recognising outstanding businesses and individuals in the manufacturing industry since 2001. Victoria’s manufacturing industry contributes over $30 billion to the Victorian economy annually, employs more than 270,000 people and competes globally with $19.6 billion annual exports in 2017-18. For the full list of winners and finalists at the 2019 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards, visit business.vic.gov.au/halloffame SUBMITTED BY KOREY FERNANDO- OFFICE OF MARYANNE THOMAS
Photo L-R Scott Barker, Gavin Hinneberg Tracey Saines-Casey, Simon Meadows
Community strength at Anzac Day Parade Anzac Day was a moving commemoration of service and sacrifice by members of our community, particularly those who fought in the Gallipoli campaign of 104 years ago. The march was led by the Kyneton Municipal Band and Braemar Cadets, followed by a contingent of veterans, scouts and guides, members of the community and two Waler horses. At the RSL ceremony, Squadron Leader Judith Ellis gave a stirring address, which was followed by readings from school children and the laying of many wreaths. Estimates put the number of community members who attended at over 500. SUBMITTED BY PETER WHITELAW, RSL