Parents could hear the cheers from inside the bus and their smiles could have provided enough energy to power the bus the whole way.
On arrival, there was no time for rest. Bags were left and they were off to their first activity! Overcoming fears of heights and stomach dropping thrills were all part of the flying fox and giant swing, precision was tested at archery and rock climbing, cold water splashes and ball games were all part of canoeing and team work and creativity were high on the list for team initiative and low ropes. The activities were amazing; however, when asked to pick a favourite the consensus was clear…GIANT SWING. The staff also loved participating in the activities, particularly the thrill seeking ones.
When the sun went down, the fun didn’t stop. Watching Despicable Me 3 under the stars at the Outdoor Cinema was so much fun. A major highlight was the Thursday night Triballink experience, when an indigenous story teller had 105 students captivated with stories of the Dreamtime. Afterwards toasting marshmallows and drinking lemon myrtle tea (leaves taken straight from the bush) left everyone feeling warm and ready for bed. One thing was for sure, the night activities kept everyone busy and highly entertained.
The food was delicious with many students going for seconds at each meal time. The food definitely gave everyone the energy to get through our busy days.
Year 5 Camp was an incredible experience but we brought home some very tired and exhausted boys and girls; we were all very grateful for some R&R that weekend!
The Ideas Hub was established in 2015, and since its inception has been a key pillar of the UQ entrepreneurship framework.
During their visit to the Ideas Hub, students worked through six modules with University of Queensland students and lecturers. These modules included:
The students had a fantastic day, and particularly enjoyed a tour of the University of Queensland campus. Special thanks must go to Mr Stewart Moore who drove the College bus for the excursion, and to Mr Oman who organised the logistics of the trip.
We had many of our inquiring curiosities answered, and as the inquiry cycle encourages, lots of new questions to investigate.
At NuPure students were able to see a mass production system capable of supplying the whole country with drinking water. The management generously provided a tour inside the factory to see the production line running at full speed. They also explained the many challenges involved in producing in such high volumes and competing against giant multi-national corporations such as Coca-Cola.
At IKEA students met with the Marketing Manager to learn about the significance of ethical and sustainable business operations in gaining a competitive edge over competitors. They also collected evidence relating to inventory management and customer service strategies in one of the largest retail operations in Australia.
In August the QCE students visited two local businesses that are achieving great success despite facing intense international competition from much larger rivals.
At the UGG Since 1974 factory in Miami, students were given a tour of the production system to learn how this business makes a range of custom designed Australian products for its stores on the Gold Coast and in Sydney.
The owners spoke to students about the challenges of marketing a premium quality product both domestically and internationally when the main international competitor can mass produce a cheaper, albeit inferior, product. Students also learned about the importance of effective use of social media campaigns in communicating a clear message about quality to the target market.
At the ONE Group MiEssence factory in Molendinar, students met with former Somerset parent Narelle Chenery who founded this organic cosmetics business 25 years ago in her own kitchen. Narelle spoke passionately about how to develop a unique cosmetic product concept with genuine organic certification, source pure organic ingredients from all over the world, and produce a premium quality range of products that are shipped to over 50 countries. Narelle also spoke about the challenges of breaking into the Chinese market and the importance of maintaining the integrity of the brand in all aspects of product design and packaging.
The College Business and Entrepreneurship team would like to thank each of these businesses for their generous support of our IB and QCE programs. We are sure that these experiences will be of great benefit to students not only in their current studies, but also in their future careers and entrepreneurial endeavours.
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