Projects and intiatives

Melbourne’s North Food Group

Melbourne’s North Food Group represents over 400 food, beverage and fibre manufacturers that employ more than 10,000 people, giving its partners special access to trade shows, group buying, export advice and more.

Advocacy is key to our role and we work to influence senior decision makers and government policy in the best interests of our partners and our industry. We provide a single contact point between our members and all levels of government, consultants and training providers to maximise opportunities and minimise duplication of effort.

North and West Melbourne Data Analytics Hub

The North and West Melbourne Data Analytics Hub (the Hub) offers businesses an opportunity to harness student skills, analyse the data they collect and use that data to build business capability.

The Hub helps businesses to define a data analytics project and then facilitates student placements (internships) involving students from La Trobe University, RMIT University, Victoria University, Kangan Institute and Melbourne Polytechnic.

 

Jobs Victoria

We at NORTH Link are a Jobs Victoria provider, which means that we provide tailored services to support and connect jobseekers and employers, joining the right person with the right position.

Northern Business Achievement Awards

The NBAA Awards are a partnership of industry, education, local and state government and decision makers across Melbourne’s north and essential events for those seeking to do business in the region. They recognise the business achievements of SMEs and encourage business excellence, growth and competitiveness.

Geographically, the NBAA Awards encompasses the local government areas of Banyule, Darebin, Hume, Moreland, Nillumbik and Whittlesea.

Melbourne’s north currently has a population of over 900,000 people and is expected to grow by over 400,000 people over the next 20 years. Melbourne’s north comprises over 69,000 businesses and is a major contributor to State GDP.

 

Northern Industry Student Placement Program

The Northern Industry Student Placement Program connects organisations with tertiary students so that businesses can benefit from current expertise and abilities.

Benefits for business

  • Low risk way to get knowledge about a part of their business they may be lacking.
  • Chance to scope out the necessity of hiring new staff and a low risk way to evaluate candidates.
  • Opportunity to scope a new field that the business hasn’t spent time exploring.
  • Additional resources for little to no cost to boost an existing department.

Benefits for students

  • Invaluable opportunity to learning workplace skills.
  • Chance to exercise what they have learned in class in a real-life project.
  • Experience to put on a resume that may help them get hired in the future.
  • Have teaching staff available to support and guide them through their first real project.

Research and advocacy

NORTH Link engages with a rich body of evidence-based research in a number of sectors. We facilitate comprehensive research projects that help our understanding of the Melbourne’s north.

It is on the basis of such research that we have identified gaps and opportunities to develop the economy of Melbourne’s north and add much needed value to organisations through evidence-based programs. Examples of this include the Food and Beverage Growth Plan Melbourne’s North and the North and West Melbourne Data Analytics Hub feasibility study.