Five teams from the Central West region are competing in Parkes in the Local Government Professionals Australia, NSW Rural Management Challenge this week.
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Parkes Shire Council is providing two teams in the contest, while Queanbeyan City Council, Bland Shire Council, and Forbes Shire Council have one team apiece.
Starting from October 9 this year, 19 councils in NSW have participated in the Rural Management Challenge.
Over 80 local government professionals have competed to develop their skills and to win the opportunity to compete in the Australasian Management Challenge in 2015.
Throughout the two days, teams are given a range of tasks that simulate different scenarios and problems that local councils manage on a daily basis.
Teams are challenged with operational and strategic challenges, as well as emerging issues and trends facing the sector, developing important managerial skills for the future ahead.
Chief Executive Officer of LG Professionals, NSW Annalisa Haskell said that with the state government’s Fit for the Future initiative and upcoming reforms to local government, the event is somewhat of a ‘management tool’ to help prepare local government professionals for the future.
“The outlook of local government is certainly going to look quite different this time next year,” Ms Haskell said.
“The Rural Management Challenge is a great tool for staff to develop their managerial skills and to help them perform more effectively for their local communities.
“Parkes is an extremely vital part of the Central West region, and it is therefore very important that Parkes council practitioners are continually developing their skills to continue the growth of the area.”
General Manager of Parkes Shire Council, Kent Boyd, said the challenge is a great platform for local government professionals to demonstrate and improve on a number of skills.
“The Challenge is a great way to compete and develop skills to better serve their communities,” he said.
“We are very happy to be hosting the event which will bring highly skilled professionals from across the state to develop their skills in a very practical way.”
The winner of the Challenge will be sponsored by LG Professionals, NSW to compete in the Australasian Management Challenge in early 2015.