New technology is enabling business students to enrich their learning experience by attending trade shows and conferences without leaving their desks. In a project funded by the National VET E-learning Strategy, a virtual trade show is being developed by a partnership between North Coast TAFE and Virtual Enterprise Australia.

A virtual enterprise is a simulated business that participants organise and run as a hands-on way of learning about business practices and procedures. The partnership identified the opportunity for students in business courses to complete the ‘trade show participation’ part of the course online and ‘live’ with students from virtual enterprises in different locations and share and learn from each other. 

“Having funding to build our own virtual world platform is a dream come true for us,” says project manager Deslie-Ann Osborn from North Coast TAFE.

The Virtually Enterprising project will build a virtual enterprise training facility and trade show in a virtual world, where students can develop their skills together with learners from other virtual enterprises and collaborate together in the creation of a trade show that broadens and enhances their learning.

“This is a great opportunity for learners from virtual enterprises across the country to learn new skills and strategies from their counterparts without having to travel great distances at certain times of the year,” says Des Osborn.

“This means that students will benefit from seeing the ideas and innovations of students and teachers from other locations, and through communicating and collaborating on those ideas in the 'live' environment.”

This project has been made possible through funding from the National VET E-learning Strategy, whose NBN E-learning programs provide opportunities to create innovative approaches to demonstrate the power of broadband to enhance outcomes for learners, and promote growth in broadband-based training as the NBN rollout proceeds.