A well-known company in the Hunter Valley and beyond for 43 years, the Hunter Valley Training Company (HVTC) has unveiled its brand-new look and name: Zeal Futures.
HVTC, Hunter-V-Tech, Central Coast Community College and the Lake Macquarie Business Grad Centre have all been combined under the one name, Zeal Futures.
CEO Sharon Smith explained the reasoning behind the name at the official unveiling.
“Zeal means to have great enthusiasm, energy in pursuit of a cause or objective and our team has great energy, enthusiasm and passion for our cause which is to connect as many people to the opportunities of skills training and employment as possible.
“Zeal resonates with the way we operate.
“Before, we operated with four brands and a shared passion to help everyone thrive but now we stand here united as Zeal Futures. For those who may not be familiar with the heritage of the company, it dates back to 1981 with just two employees, two local dreamers, the Honorable Milton Morris and Kay Sharpe.
“They created it with one project in mind, to provide apprentices and trainees for the construction of Bayswater Power Station, it was meant to be a five-year endeavour.”
The company has now grown to 800 employees and since it started has created learning and employment opportunities for more than 38,000 people.
As HVTC, the company taught thousands of apprentices and trainees their skills to gain full time employment at a number of companies, notably the mining industry.
Sharon said that creating a skilled workforce particularly for the mining sector is critical.
“There are skill shortages across the country with all sectors competing for those skills, so it’s important that we guide young people into those trade areas that are important for the mining sector.”
Robert Cameron AO has been the Chairman of Zeal Futures since 2012.
He had an extensive career in the mining industry that led him to becoming the founder, Managing Director, and CEO of Centennial Coal. He founded the company in 1989 and stepped down as its head in 2011.
“Many people assume that the company is just here in the Hunter Valley, but we are all over the state like our success stories. We are a Hunter Valley success story that has grown and spread, which is something we should be proud of.
“The rebrand will enhance our capabilities and drive even greater value to the people, businesses, and the community partners that we work with. It’ll streamline our approach and allow us to expand into even more locations.
“We remain one of the largest not-for-profit organisations helping young people to achieve their goals. I think that’s often overlooked in the market, yes, we are a business, but we are a business with purpose not with profit in mind.”
