About
The Industry Speaker Bank aims to offer schools and students some insight into a variety of career journeys and industries through hearing real-life stories of local people who work in industry. Industry Speakers will generally share their story and insights with a focus on:
- The benefits of working in their industry
- Their career journey and how it developed from a young age
- Providing students with real life, tangible examples of success
- Questions and Answers are welcome
- An increased understanding of the value of transferable skills.
Schools and students will develop:
- An understanding an industry and some of the roles and pathways within it.
- An understanding of how a career journey develops incrementally over many years.
- An increased understanding of the value of transferable skills.
Role of the Industry Speaker
BNLLEN is always seeking new, local volunteers from varied industry and career backgrounds. We only ask that you make yourself available a few times a year to share your story and insights about the industry you work in, with a focus on:
- the benefits of working in your industry
- your career journey and how it developed from a young age
- providing students with real life, tangible examples of your success.
“Industry Speaker gave me the opportunity to share my experiences, empowering young people to pursue their passions and explore unconventional paths. It shows them that they can achieve their goals, even if they are different from traditional careers.”
– Orianna Edmonds, CEO of Naturally Goat
How it works
BNLLEN will contact you if a school requests you to present as a solo speaker or part of a panel. We will try our best to give you a minimum of 4 weeks’ notice.
BNLLEN will facilitate an agreement between you and the school regarding content, time frame and audience for the event, ensuring a clear understanding of expectations. A staff member of BNLLEN will present on the day where possible to support you and help facilitate the event.
If this is something you would be interested to become involved in, please contact Courtney@bnllen.org.au
“Industry Speaker Bank is incredibly rewarding for students, and also for yourself. It’s a chance to develop communication and presentation skills, give back to the community, and expose students to diverse industries and pathways.”
Olivia Salamone, Team Leader of Construction Engineering at Knox City Council
Case Studies
Orianna Edmonds, CEO and Founder of Naturally Goat
"Sharing my experiences empowered young people to pursue their passions and explore unconventional paths. It shows them that they can achieve their goals, even if they are different from traditional careers."
Orianna’s journey into the world of business began when she was just 15 years old. What started as a simple experiment on her family farm has blossomed into a thriving business called Naturally Goat. The inspiration came from her family’s surplus goat milk, which she initially used to make cheese and other products. However, the real turning point came when Orianna’s mother, who had sensitive skin, struggled to find suitable soap. This challenge sparked Orianna’s creativity, and she decided to create her own soap using goat's milk and basic ingredients. The result was a product so good that friends and family took notice, and soon enough, Orianna knew she was on to something special.
Today, Naturally Goat offers over 200 products, including goat milk soaps, moisturizers, body wash, and lotions—all crafted on her farm, where she now manages a herd of 65 goats.
One of Orianna’s proudest moments came last year when Naturally Goat won the Northern Businesses Awards Business of the Year, marking a significant milestone in her career.
Beyond her business, Orianna is passionate about giving back to the community. Her involvement in the Industry Speaker Bank allows her to share her experiences with young people, empowering them to pursue their passions and explore unconventional career paths. In June, she attended an Industry Speaker Bank event at Charles La Trobe College, where she engaged with students in Year 9 and 10 who find value in hearing from local businesses to generate ideas about their future careers. Orianna finds these interactions rewarding, as the students’ out-of-the-box questions often prompt her to think in new ways and reflect on her own journey.
Orianna’s advice to young people is simple yet powerful: don’t give up. She emphasises the importance of pushing through self-doubt and persevering in the face of challenges. Orianna’s story is a testament to the power of believing in one’s goals and working tirelessly to achieve them. Industry Speaker Bank creates a connection between students and industry professionals to share personal journeys and guide students to make informed decisions about their careers.
BNLLEN would like to acknowledge Orianna Edmonds for her admirable enthusiasm to work with young people in our local community. Thanks also go to Charles La Trobe College for hosting this Industry Speaker Bank Event.
Orianna Edmonds, CEO and Founder of Naturally Goat
"Sharing my experiences empowered young people to pursue their passions and explore unconventional paths. It shows them that they can achieve their goals, even if they are different from traditional careers."
Orianna’s journey into the world of business began when she was just 15 years old. What started as a simple experiment on her family farm has blossomed into a thriving business called Naturally Goat. The inspiration came from her family’s surplus goat milk, which she initially used to make cheese and other products. However, the real turning point came when Orianna’s mother, who had sensitive skin, struggled to find suitable soap. This challenge sparked Orianna’s creativity, and she decided to create her own soap using goat's milk and basic ingredients. The result was a product so good that friends and family took notice, and soon enough, Orianna knew she was on to something special.
Today, Naturally Goat offers over 200 products, including goat milk soaps, moisturizers, body wash, and lotions—all crafted on her farm, where she now manages a herd of 65 goats.
One of Orianna’s proudest moments came last year when Naturally Goat won the Northern Businesses Awards Business of the Year, marking a significant milestone in her career.
Beyond her business, Orianna is passionate about giving back to the community. Her involvement in the Industry Speaker Bank allows her to share her experiences with young people, empowering them to pursue their passions and explore unconventional career paths. In June, she attended an Industry Speaker Bank event at Charles La Trobe College, where she engaged with students in Year 9 and 10 who find value in hearing from local businesses to generate ideas about their future careers. Orianna finds these interactions rewarding, as the students’ out-of-the-box questions often prompt her to think in new ways and reflect on her own journey.
Orianna’s advice to young people is simple yet powerful: don’t give up. She emphasises the importance of pushing through self-doubt and persevering in the face of challenges. Orianna’s story is a testament to the power of believing in one’s goals and working tirelessly to achieve them. Industry Speaker Bank creates a connection between students and industry professionals to share personal journeys and guide students to make informed decisions about their careers.
BNLLEN would like to acknowledge Orianna Edmonds for her admirable enthusiasm to work with young people in our local community. Thanks also go to Charles La Trobe College for hosting this Industry Speaker Bank Event.