Merger Creates Work-for-the-dole Options In City
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday October 6, 1998
Wollongong Small Business Complex and Illawarra Information Technology Centre have merged to form a new company Employment Resources Ltd.
Operations will continue from two bases - the Unanderra business incubator and ITeC's Burelli St, Wollongong, headquarters.
The merger sets the scene for expansion of operations, building on the present combined staff of 14.
Between them the partners already have won three work-for-the-dole programs at Mt Keira Scout Camp, Wollongong Gun Battery and within the Jamberoo rainforest.
The composition of the new board is yet to be announced.
Merger talks began in 1995 with the combined boards holding their first exploratory meeting in March this year and the first formal meeting in July.
ITeC, established in 1988, is chaired by Prof Michael Hough, with deputy chairman Ray Tolhurst (Illawarra Institute of Technology) and directors David Bryars (formerly with IBM) AE, Allan Clark (formerly with Wollongong Chamber of Commerce before his return to radio and TV) and Rudi Oppitz (South Coast Labour Council).
ITeC general manager is Tony O'Connor.
He came to the position seven years ago after working in London.
Mr O'Connor will be the chief executive officer of the expanded organisation.
ITeC specialises in employment and training services.
It is part of the recently created Illawarra Regional Employment Services within the Commonwealth Government's new Job Network and has been a managing agent since 1990 for the DEETYA-funded New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) programs.
Wollongong Small Business Complex started in 1990 at its current Unanderra site, which was previously occupied by Harbison Heat Containment Industries.
WSBC concluded purchase of the entire site on the eve of the merger.
The property covers 2.11ha and includes work bays, office accommodation and substantial warehousing space, most of which already is leased.
Ruth Milne managed the centre through its transformation into work bays and offices.
The Howard Government's Finance Minister John Fahey performed the official opening during his NSW Parliamentary days.
WSBC has graduated 40 businesses, currently has 28 businesses in residence and has had dealings with a further 30 businesses during its eight years of operation.
WSBC directors at the time of the merger included solicitor Hilton King (chairman), businessman and property developer Neville Fredericks (deputy chairman), small business operator Ken Walsh, employment agency manager Graeme Hodder, Shellharbour City Council community service manager Peter O'Rourke, retired Water Board operations manager Bob Hellmund and Mrs Milne.
Mrs Milne, who was injured at work and had been off duties for several months, resigned her management position in August.
She presided over some outstanding business successes during her time at the Unanderra centre.
When recycling was still a little-understood concept she became the public face of Wollongong City Council's initial recycling program, helped build it up but did not have the resources to compete against multinationals when expanded contracts were put out to tender.
Tony Pollard Electrics, which has won high praise for communications and fibre optics cabling work at the Sydney Olympic site at Homebush, began its growth by moving from a home workshop to the Unanderra complex.
Independent businesses (several of them multinationals) have been established at the centre to specialise in computing, manufacturing, carpentry, picture framing, ceramics, take-away food, apparel, financial planning, mining, electrics, refrigeration, importing, escalators/lifts and upholstery.
ISD Group Training is currently a tenant at the centre, which also has hosted other labour market and job search programs.
Mrs Milne said the new entity, Employment Resources Ltd, would benefit by having a unified board and management structure and common goals and operations mid-city as well as within its own premises centrally located within a dynamic industrial area.
She said the merger would strengthen both organisations' small business advisory and training capabilities.
Both organisations had developed strong reputations over the years with WSBC enjoying an international profile among business incubator sponsors, she said.
© 1998 Illawarra Mercury
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