GAMAA ANNOUNCES 2006 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Now in it’s fourth year, the GAMAA Leadership Programme welcomes three new scholars to the scholarship intake for 2006; Franca Balsamo, Senior Production and Graphic Arts Consultant, Canon Australia; Kelly Bourke, Sales Manager, SOS Print & Media Group; and Rodney Williams, Contract Services Manager – Westpac Digital Print Centre.
On announcing the successful applicants, GAMAA President, Alastair Hadley said it was heartening to see that candidates had come from a broad sweep of the industry, both from the supplier side and from the print producers. “The objective of our Leadership Programme is to enable those working in the printing and graphic arts related industries to hone their leadership and management skills for the strength and future of our industry. The applicants for the 2006 scholarship were of an extremely high calibre and representative of the diversity of our industry. On behalf of the GAMAA membership I am delighted to announce the recipients for this year’s intake and wish them well in their academic endeavours.”
The GAMAA Leadership Programme provides for a limited number of scholarships each year. To date 23 scholarships have been awarded including 20 full scholarships and 3 part scholarships.
Fundamental to the GAMAA Leadership Programme are the bi-annual 3 day residential workshops which are compulsory for scholarship recipients, and also open to the industry in general.
The workshops focus on specific topics with this year’s programme featuring “Pursuing Business Excellence”, Melbourne May 4-6, and “Integrating Innovation and Leadership”, Sydney August 31 – September 2.
On notification of their scholarships, the recipients had the following comments: Franca Balsamo - I applied for the GAMAA Leadership Programme because it provided an opportunity for me to further enhance and develop the already wonderful career of 19 years that I have had in this Industry.
I see a symmetry between GAMAA's objectives and my own. Being accepted for the Scholarship has truly been a highlight for me and I value the opportunity to partake in the program with other industry colleagues. Early on in my career I had some wonderful mentors both educational and managerial, however in the last 10 years I have felt a gap. I believe the GAMAA program will provide me with the mentoring I'm after and in future I hope to be able to give back to those who come behind me in this program.