As a General Manager at Australia’s most innovative production company, WTFN’s Derek Dyson knows all about the value of interns - especially those bringing digital skills to the business.

Today Victorian business can get back to what you do best. It was good news we can now begin our exit from Lockdown Five and move faster than when we exited Lockdown Four.

It was mixed news for the business community this week with Regional Victoria freed from Lockdown Six but Metropolitan Victoria required to stay in lockdown for another seven days.

Lockdowns. We’ve had a few. And there will probably be a few more before we are done. Like them or not, it’s the agreed weapon of choice to combat COVID-19 until vaccination rates get to 80 per cent. They have worked to effectively stop the spread.  

I felt a shift in the fight against COVID-19 this week when Prime Minister Scott Morrison remarked, “this Groundhog Day has to end”. I couldn’t agree more!

Well, there was a welcome shifting of narrative late last week, and we are now clearly focused on a vaccination-based opening. The past week has been tough, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Sunday was not the news we wanted. The roadmap fell short: short of hope, short of NSW and short of where we need to be moving to as a state.

I had a close friend message me from London on the weekend, as he sat comfortably in a coffee shop on Regent Street.

Businesses and workers have sacrificed, suffered and done their bit to protect us all from COVID-19. They stayed closed, in some cases without work, pivoted their services to keep Victorians employed and many lost what they had spent years building. Businesses across the State are in crisis.

October is finally here, and we are three weeks or less from hitting the 70 per cent target to start the reopening. It’s within sight now, and we can finally start to think about waving goodbye to lockdowns forever. The Victorian Chamber is continuing our push for the State Government to revise openings at both the 70 and 80 per cent targets.

Do you have a technology problem that you desperately want to solve but don’t know the personnel or resource to do it? Then read on because the SummerTech LIVE program could be the answer you are looking for.

The Victorian Chamber is proud to partner with the Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) to deliver the fourth round of the SummerTech LIVE program, which matches businesses with tertiary students to tackle real, digital technology problems.

Sunday was a good day for most when we heard the State Government’s roadmap had been bought forward. I cannot wait to see the smiles on the faces of business owners, staff and customers when we start to emerge from lockdown in Metropolitan Melbourne this week.

How good was it seeing our state roar back to life over the weekend? It was so exciting to see crowds at events and smiles on the faces of so many as they celebrated Victoria’s reopening over the past few days.

As Victoria emerges from COVID-19 and business confidence returns, there has never been a better time to take on an apprentice or trainee - a crucial pathway to kickstart our economy post-pandemic and secure talent for Victoria’s future workforce.

One cyber security incident is reported every eight minutes, according to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), underscoring the urgency for businesses to protect themselves online.