It certainly feels like the year continues to accelerate, and I hope you are doing what you need to ensure your business is in good shape.

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe long weekend. It was certainly great to have a break, and hopefully some of you can enjoy extra time with your children as we enter school holidays.

Experience the ultimate flexibility with the Victorian Chamber’s newly released e-learning self-paced courses covering themes of workplace mental health, an effective hybrid workforce and exporting essentials.

We saw Melbourne at its best over the weekend as we played host to a Melbourne-record Formula One crowd of more than 440,000 people at Albert Park.

Want a rewarding career pathway while promoting health and safety outcomes for the good of society? The Victorian Chamber is launching our first Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety (WHS) program for the year.

Having come straight from the Albert Park track this morning from the Victorian Chamber and Keolis Downer Grand Prix™ Breakfast, I can tell you that Melbourne is certainly in for a treat this weekend!

How good is it to have the AFL back? Four action packed days and evenings resulted in some nail-biting results for round one, and I have to say, the ladder is looking spectacular to this Essendon supporter!

As Victorian businesses continue to grapple with staff and skills shortages, it may come as some relief to learn the Overseas Qualifications Unit (OQU) provides a free and confidential assessment of current or prospective employees’ overseas qualifications to determine their compatibility with Australian standards.

I hope you all made the most of the long weekend and those who opened or worked did a roaring trade, the weather was certainly in full cooperation!

Being a woman in trades can offer exciting opportunities and a rewarding career – just ask 2022 Victorian Apprentice of the year Chhunly Taing.

Today we celebrate International Women’s Day, a global event that recognises the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, raises awareness about discrimination and drives gender parity.

There goes summer for another year. Not quite the warm weather we had hoped for, but we look ahead to what autumn brings, particularly with the Moomba Festival, AFL Season, Grand Prix, and the highly anticipated opening of “& Juliet” not far away.

As a registered training organisation and respected short course provider to members, the Victorian Chamber helps businesses looking to upskill their workforce or professionals looking to take the next step in their careers.

I’ve been asked to address a number of different forums in recent weeks to give the Chamber’s view on the outlook for business for 2023 and the role of business in driving economic growth.

The Victorian Chamber welcomes Federal Government changes to boost the international education sector and address skills shortages in key industries.

I’ve spent a large part of the last week engaging with various stakeholders including Victorian Government Ministers and our members about the rising costs involved with running a business, escalating electricity and gas prices, and what the road to net zero looks like.