Three students from Higher Education at Melbourne Polytechnic have received first place in the 2019 Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) Student Entrepreneurial Awards.
Earlier this month, students Ni Luh Wayan Pujiani (Bachelor of Hospitality Management), Fathima Shamara Mohamed Ruwais (Bachelor of Accounting) and Marine Laine (Bachelor of Accounting) presented their business model – Wata Aboriginal Experiences – to a panel of industry leaders. Wata is a financially sustainable social enterprise that aims to contribute to the visitor economy of one of Victoria’s most treasured Aboriginal heritage sites, Budj Bim.
The model is designed to offer visitors an authentic way to learn about Aboriginal culture, traditional bush food, music and dance performances, and to participate in educational workshops.
This is the first time Melbourne Polytechnic has entered this competition. We competed against both undergraduate and postgraduate students from five other institutions take out the award. The team received $9,000 in prize money.
Congratulations to the students, and a big thanks to Lecturer and Unit Coordinator, Peter Matheis, Hospitality Lecturer, Ana Delevska, and Heads of Program for Business/Hospitality and Accounting, Sandra Cherro Osorio and Elizabeth Mitchell for their help in preparing the team for the competition.
You can find out more about our hospitality courses here.