Local businesses get websites, students get experience

Twelve schools, 140 students and 50 businesses participated in last year’s successful ‘GippsWebs for Business’ program in which secondary students competed in teams to design and build websites for local businesses.

Open to secondary students throughout Gippsland, the competition involved schools served by three Local Community Partnerships—La Trobe Valley, Wellington and East Gippsland.

As part of the competition, students met with business owners to learn about their daily operations. Then, working in small teams, they designed a website to meet the business’ needs. Overall, the experience gave students an opportunity to refine their skills in areas such as data collection, web development, teamwork, time management, research and presentation.

The competition concluded in August with an awards night where websites were displayed and winners announced.

First place went to Catholic College in Sale, with a website for Forest Lodge Farm. Second and third places both went to Lavalla Catholic College in Traralgon, with websites for Caravanning Australia and Strzelecki Motor Lodge, respectively.

According to Michelle Weatherall of Baw Baw Latrobe Local Learning and Employment Network, the program is especially rewarding because it ‘is innovative and allows both students and business owners to benefit’.

The competition was developed in partnership with Telstra Country Wide^, Gippsland, Monash University’s Gippsland School of Information Technology, Baw Baw Latrobe Local Learning and Employment Network, and La Trobe Valley Local Community Partnership.