ENEP12007

Portfolio
Dane Merkel

Lecturer: Chanelle Olive

Due date: 28/05/2014 (7 day extension)

Contents
1. Business plan
2. Application for employment
3. Reflective paper
4. 2x Engineering competency claims

S0229422
Term 1 - 2014

Business Plan

The business:
Business name: Albury PC Repairs
Owner: Dane Merkel
Albury PC repairs will offer professional computer services to the general public and small
businesses at a competitive price. Services will available in store and onsite. Custom
computers will be built to give customers the freedom to select the product that suits them.
Customers will be able to purchase individual hardware components, peripherals, OEM and
retail software, cables and consumables such as printer cartridges.
A $60,000 loan has been approved to start the business at 4A / 520 Swift Street, Albury.
Loan repayments are $994.52 per month based on a ten year business loan from Hume
Building Society with a fixed interest rate of 9.95%. The current IT business at the location is
closing due to the owner retiring. He has agreed to sell his current assets and customer
base for a total of $70,000 meaning no additional equipment is required to start the
business. The extra capital will be supplied by the manager of Albury PC repairs.
The vision of Albury PC repairs is to provide honest reliable service to customers of Albury /
Wodonga. There has recently been a number of IT businesses closing in the area providing
an opening in the marketing mix to compete with the large retail store. Customers will
choose Albury PC repairs due to the personalised service and high quality products they
receive compared to a retail store.
It is expected that while some of the customer base is lost to competitors, additional
customers from recently closed stores will be picked up. The population of Albury Wodonga
was over 100,000 at the last consensus. It is estimated that from this at least 70% of the
population owns a minimum of one computer that will require a service every 18 months.
Albury PC repairs aims to achieve 10% market penetration of the PC service market and 1%
of PC sales within the first five years of operating.
To achieve this three staff members will be employed to help provide these services.
1. Receptionist
The receptionist will be the first point of contact for customers. She will be responsible for
taking phone calls, taking messages, assisting customers in store, book keeping and
assisting with day to day operations.
The receptionist will complete Certificate IV in Accounting through Riverina Tafe in Albury.
Through this course the receptionist will be trained to use MYOB and accounting
procedures.

2. Qualified IT technician
A technician with Certificate IV in IT will be responsible for on-site service, supervising the
trainee IT technician in store and providing technical advice to customers by phone and in
store.
The qualified IT technician will complete a Diploma of IT (Networking) through Riverina Tafe
in Albury. This course will further develop the skills of the employee.
3. Trainee IT technician
A trainee will be employed to assist in day to day store operation, assisting with customer
enquiries and repairing computers under the supervision of the qualified IT technician. The
trainee will complete Certificate IV in IT through Riverina Tafe in Albury. Upon completion
the trainee will become qualified and have the option to progress to a Diploma in IT
(Networking).
After three years a new trainee IT technician will be employed to assist with the growing
demand on the business. The manager will complete a Diploma of Management through
Riverina Tafe in Albury. Upon completion further courses may be undertaken.
Market analysis:
Due to technological advances and the need to own a computer the IT industry is growing
stronger. By targeting sections of the market that are currently under utilised or non existent
in the area the business will increase its market penetration. No competitor in the market
currently builds complete custom systems to suit a customers needs, and small businesses
are being over charged on consumables. The top three competitors have been analysed on
their level of service, product quality, price and reputation.
1. Harvey Norman
Level of service: 2/10
Harvey Norman staff aim to sell a product to the customer and care about the customers
needs. They will often upsell to a customer that is unaware of exactly what they are buying.
The service is very impersonal.
Product quality: 5/10
Harvey Norman sells packaged brand name computers that often come with limited warranty
and obsolete parts. While excellent quality PCs can be purchased, there is a large cost
associated with a brand name and it is hard to customise these PCs to suit the customers
needs.
Price: 9/10
Harvey Norman has large buying power allowing it to sell products much cheaper than most.
They often have sales with prices Albury PC repair will not be able to compete with, however
they overcharge on consumables and software.

Reputation: 9/10
Harvey Norman has the reputation of being a cheap and fast solution. Due to their brand
awareness they are often the first choice that comes to mind when a customer needs a new
PC, however they dont offer PC repair or service.

2. Leading Edge Computers

Level of service: 7/10
Leading Edge Computers provides a fast service and offers new computers, repairs and
services. They do not provide customer built computers however.
Product Quality: 4/10
Leading Edge Computers sells cheap brand packages with low quality components. This
allows them to have high turn over of customers but they charge for any additions to
packages and offer a limited warranty.
Price: 6/10
Leading Edge Computers sells cheap package deals, but charges very high service rates.
Reputation: 6/10
Leading Edge Computers is well known in the Albury area but due to their large service
prices have many unhappy customers that will not return. This is something Albury PC
repairs can capitalise on.
3. Border Discount Computers
Level of service: 9/10
Border Discount Computers offers a highly personalised level of service, with fast turn
around. The high quality service is often overshadowed by undertrained staff that lack
technical knowledge required to deal with customers effectively.
Product quality: 7/10
Border Discount Computers offers package deals with a level of customisability however
from a select range. They offer manufacturers warranty on all parts and use quality brand
names. Border Discount Computers also does not offer any on site service or consumables.
Price: 7/10
Border Discount Computers offers competitive prices on its services, however can not match
the buying power of large stores such as Harvey Norman and cant match the cheap price of
the inferior products offered by Leading Edge Computers.

Reputation: 8/10
Border Discount Computers has an excellent reputation for service and new computers,
however is located in West Albury reducing the impact they will have on my business.
If Albury PC Repairs can match the above companies while addressing their weaknesses
the business will build its customer base and become successful.
SWOT analysis:
Strengths:
Business already has large customer
base.
Unique services to be provided.
Qualified staff to provide excellent
service.
All equipment provided with the
business
Excellent communication skills
Opportunities:
Large customer base, other stores
closing gives the opportunity to grow
Customer satisfaction is low in the
area, please a customer and they are
likely to return.
Chance to learn new skills.

Weaknesses:
Lack of business experience
Young customers may feel I am
inexperienced
Little accounting background.
Poor budgeting skills.
Small operating budget for first year.

Threats:
Competitors in particular, large
retail stores. It is hard to compete
with their buying power.
Unqualified staff may be difficult to
train.

Marketing Plan:
Marketing for the first year will be provided predominately by word of mouth. 1000 business
cards will be printed by Sign-a-rama, a local company for $187. Once the business develops
and some free cash flow develops, advertising in the phone book will be utilised. After three
years expenditure will move to either television and / or radio advertising to increase brand
awareness.
Operating Plan:
Albury PC Repairs will operate on a cash on delivery basis for service and a cash on order
for new PCs. Business customers will be allowed 7 days to pay accounts. Services will be
charged at a fixed price with a free quote to be provided to customers with an average price
of $199. A 30 day quality guarantee will be provided on all services and full manufacturers
warranty on all products. Customers will be willing to pay slightly higher prices for the level of
service they receive at Albury PC Repairs compared to competitors.
Mark up on hardware products will be between 15-30% and 60-70% on consumables. The
business can resell consumables at such a low cost as it is not the core revenue generator
of Albury PC repairs. Software mark-up will vary depending on availability. These prices are
lower than competitors besides large companies with buying power such as Harvey Norman.

An investment account with an opening balance of $10,000 will be opened for emergency
cash flow. The account will accrue interest to be invested in the business.
Forecast revenue and assumptions:
A net profit of $80,101.75 is forecast for the first year of operating. This is expected to
increase each year for the first seven years of business as brand awareness and customer
base grows. Experience both managing a business and staff experience will allow tasks to
be completed more efficiently increasing store revenue.
In the 12 month cash flow breakdown it is expected the profit will fluctuate through high and
low economic periods. The high economic periods are expected to be;

November December as Christmas is approaching, many customers will purchase

a new PC and many customers will require service from the company to set up their
new system. Approximately 33% of revenue will be created in this period.
May July as this period falls roughly with school holidays and end of university
term. There will be a large proportion of students requiring service or products to
assist with their study. This period is also end of financial year so many business
customers will require service and consumables.

It is expected that the business will make a loss on the months between these periods. To
reduce the economic low impact, customers will be notified by text message or email that
they are due for a service or anti-virus update every twelve months, with a special service +
software deal to be offered in the low economic periods.
Forecast expenses and assumptions:
For the first year advertising will be through word of mouth. Sign-a-rama, a local screen
printing company, will provide 1000 colour business cards for $187.00. In the second and
third year of business $3000 will be spent on advertising through Southern Cross Media on
the radio. After four years a further $10,000 will be allocated per year to television
advertising.
Accounts will be set up for audit fees, sundry expenses and cleaning costs to be paid
monthly. Rent is to be paid monthly to LJ Colquhoun & Dixon and insurance monthly to RSM
Group Pty Ltd. Pest control is planned twice a year (six months apart). Periodically (typically
3 or 6 months) postage equipment will be purchase, stationery and maintenance will spent.
Banking shall be with Hume Building Society, a local Albury bank. Fees of $20 a month for
external transfer will apply but there are no account keeping fees for a business account. A
credit card will be supply by Hume Building Society for $84.50 a year. Utilities are to be paid
monthly with expenses estimated based off similar size shops expenses from personal
experience. Utilities have been forecast to increase according to the current CPI of 5.4% p.a.
Software for the business will be purchased through Microsoft Technet program, costing
$276 for membership every three years. Telephone charges will be based on Telstras
unlimited business plan for $149/month. Stocktake is to be performed every six months, with

a write off account of $3000 p.a provided. Due to minimal stock being purchased without an
order this should cover and lost and / or damaged stock.
A five year contract with Paynters Group of Companies (PGC) will provide alarm system
installation and monitoring for $320 a month. This covers fees for responding to alarms at
the business. It is estimated that the current rate of technology will require new hardware
(including server and software) for the store will be required in three years. This is reflected
in the five year forecast expenses.
Staff are to be paid weekly, with a 9.25% superannuation guarantee to be paid monthly into
employees nominated account. Staff training and development is to be provided through
Riverina Institute of Tafe Albury Campus. Course fees are broken down below:
Course
Diploma of
management
Diploma of IT
(Networking)
Cert IV IT
(Networking)
Cert IV
Accounting

Employee
Manager

Cost
$1514.00

Additional Costs
$210.00

Total
$1724.00

Qualified IT
technician
Trainee IT
technician
Receptionist

$1514.00

$130.00

$1844.00

$1140.00

$130.00

$1270.00

$1140.00

$195.00

$1335.00

Additional costs include software, learning materials or extra fees.

The $60,000 loan from Hume Building Society requires repayments of $994.52 per month at
a fixed interest rate of 9.95% p.a. Interest has been applied at the beginning of every month.
Biztrack accounting have been contracted to supply booking keeping services and complete
Business Activity Statements (BAS) and assist the business with general accounting needs
for $180 per week. This is a fixed rate whether service is required or not, but covers when
additional service is needed around BAS submissions.

Chart of accounts
The chart of accounts for Albury PC repairs has been created based on the National
Standard Chart of Accounts published by the Department of Finance and Deregulation
(2011). Accounts applicable to Albury PC repairs have been selected as shown below.
Accounts not relevant to the business have been excluded.
Assets: 1-0000
Account
number

Account Name

1-1100 to 1-1499 Current assets

1110 Cash - restricted
1120
1140
1150
1210
1300
1400

Cash - unrestricted
Petty cash
Cash float
Accounts receivable
Inventory on hand
Other current assets

1-5000 to 1-7200 Non-current assets

5100 Long term investments
7120 Plant and equipment
7180 Intangibles
7200 Other non current assets

Account Description
Assets that are expected to provide economic benefit within
the next 12 months
Cash that is dedicated to a specific purpose
Cash that is not allocated for a specific purpose. Primarily for
operating expenditure.
Petty cash on hand (excludes cash at bank and till floats)
Cash used for trading each day.
Gross accounts still owing from debtors
Items held for resale
Any current assets not listed above
Assets that are expected to provide economic benefit NOT
within the next 12 months
Shares
Office equipment, hardware and software etc
Intellectual property, licences, patents etc
Any non current assets not listed above.
Liabilities: 2-0000

Account
Number
Account Name
2-1000 to 2-1260 Current liabilities
1110 Accounts payable
1120 Accrued expenses
1130 Loans payable
1150 GST payable
1170 Employee Benefits
1190 Superannuation payable
1260 Other liabilities

2-2200 to 2-2250 Non-current liabilities

Account Description
Liabilities that are expected to be paid in the next 12 months
Gross amount owed to creditors at the end of a period
Expenses that are not settled by the end of a period
Bank loans, credit cards etc
Gross GST payable to ATO
Provisions for annual leave, long service leave etc
Supperannuation payable to employees funds
Any current liabilities not listed above
Liabilities that are not expected to be paid in the next 12
months

2230 Loans payable

Long term component of loans not to be paid in the next 12

months

Employee benefits and

2240 provisions

Annual leave and long service leave etc not expected to be

taken in the next 12 months

Other non current

2250 liabilities

Any non current liabilities not listed above

4010 Sale of goods

5020 Interest

Revenue 4-0000
Revenue from sales
Revenue from investments and bank interest
Cost of goods sold 5-0000

100 Opening stock

200 Purchases
300 Freight

10 Accounting fees
20 Advertising
50 Audit fees
70
100
220
240
400
410
490
510

Bank charges
Cleaning / Pest control
Computer expenses
Credit card fees
General insurance
Public liability insurance
Membership fees
Postage / Courier

520 Printing and stationery

550 Rates and taxes
570 Rent
Repairs and
590 maintenance
600 Wages

The value of any stock rolling over from the previous period
Cost of purchases made
Cost of freight
Expenses 6-0000
Book keeping fees excluding audit fees
Covers all marketing, advertising and promotion
Fees directly associated with an audit
Charges associated with any bank accounts exclusing credit
card fees
Costs attached to cleaning and pest control services
Including software, internet email and maintenance etc
Fees assocatiated with a credit card
Building and contents
This account represents public liability insurance
Membership to any association
Stamps, envelopes and other postage related expenses
Expenses associated with printing and stationery including
printer consumables
Includes all rates and taxes
All rent paid for buildings
All costs associated with repair and maintenance
Wages for all staff employed

650 Security

All security costs including alarm systems, locks and

surveillance.

670 Sundry expenses

680 Telephone charges

One off expenses that may occur and are not included
elsewhere
Charges relating to telecommunications

Training and
700 development
720 Utilities

Costs associated with training of staff

Gas, Water, Electricity etc

740 Write off expenses

One off expenses that relate to lost stock, broken assets, cash
stolen bad debt etc

Profit and Loss Statement 2014/15

Revenue 4-0000
4010 Sale of goods
4020 GST
5020 Interest
TOTAL INCOME

$
$
$
$

394,350.00
39,435.00
377.37
434,162.37

$
$
$

65,000.00
6,240.00
71,240.00

Cost of goods sold 5-0000

100 Opening stock
200 Purchases
300 Freight
TOTAL CoGS
Expenses 6-0000
10
20
50
70
100
220
240
400
410
490
510
520
550
570
590
600
650
670
680

Accounting fees
Advertising
Audit fees
Bank charges
Cleaning / Pest control
Computer expenses
Credit card fees
General insurance
Public liability insurance
Membership fees
Postage / Courier
Printing and stationery
Rates and taxes
Rent
Repairs and maintenance
Wages
Security
Sundry expenses
Telephone charges

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

9,360.00
187.00
1,200.00
240.00
6,160.00
3,600.00
84.50
360.00
800.00
236.00
90.00
1,200.00
42,969.31
41,950.14
3,000.00
121,536.00
3,840.00
1,200.00
1,788.00

700
720
740
750

Training and development

Utilities
Write off expenses
Superannuation
TOTAL EXPENSES

$
$
$
$
$

6,173.00
4,980.00
3,000.00
11,242.08
265,196.03

GROSS PROFIT
Capital on loan
Interest on loan
NET PROFIT

$
$
$
$

97,726.34
11,934.24
5,690.35
80,101.75

Cash Flow Statement 2014/15

401
0
402
0
502
0

Revenue 4-0000
$
Sale of goods
394,350.00
$
GST
39,435.00
$
Interest
377.37
$
TOTAL INCOME
434,162.37

Jul
$
43,378.50
$
4,337.85

Aug
$
19,717.50
$
1,971.75
$31.01
$
21,720.26

Sep
$
15,774.00
$
1,577.40
$
31.11
$
17,382.51

Oct
$
23,661.00
$
2,366.10
$
31.20
$
26,058.30

Nov
$
55,209.00
$
5,520.90
$
31.30
$
60,761.20

Dec
$
74,926.50
$
7,492.65
$
31.40
$
82,450.55

Jan
$
19,717.50
$
1,971.75
$
31.49
$
21,720.74

Feb
$
7,887.00
$
788.70
$
31.59
$
8,707.29

Mar
$
11,830.50
$
1,183.05
$
31.69
$
13,045.24

Apr
$
31,548.00
$
3,154.80
$
31.79
$
34,734.59

May
$
39,435.00
$
3,943.50
$
31.89
$
43,410.39

June
$
51,265.50
$
5,126.55
$
31.98
$
56,424.03

$30.91
$
47,747.26

$
65,000.00
$
6,240.00
$
71,240.00

$
2,275.00
$
218.40
$
2,493.40

$
3,250.00
$
312.00
$
3,562.00

$
4,550.00
$
436.80
$
4,986.80

$
11,050.00
$
1,060.80
$
12,110.80

$
13,000.00
$
1,248.00
$
14,248.00

$
13,650.00
$
1,310.40
$
14,960.40

$
4,550.00
$
436.80
$
4,986.80

$
2,925.00
$
280.80
$
3,205.80

$
1,625.00
$
156.00
$
1,781.00

$
975.00
$
93.60
$
1,068.60

$
3,900.00
$
374.40
$
4,274.40

$
3,250.00
$
312.00
$
3,562.00

Expenses 6-0000
$
Accounting fees
9,360.00
$
Advertising
187.00
$
Audit fees
1,200.00
$
Bank charges
240.00
Cleaning / Pest
$
control
6,160.00
$
Computer expenses
3,600.00
$
Credit card fees
84.50
$
General insurance
360.00
Public liability
$
insurance
800.00
$
Membership fees
236.00
$
Postage / Courier
90.00
Printing and
$
stationery
1,200.00
$
Rates and taxes
42,969.31

$
1,872.00
$
187.00
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
84.50
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
236.00
$
45.00
$
$
4,164.11

$
234.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
680.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
300.00
$
3,289.11

$
234.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
$
3,289.11

$
1,872.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
$
4,164.11

$
234.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
300.00
$
3,289.11

$
234.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
$
3,289.11

$
234.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
680.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
45.00
$
$
4,164.11

$
1,872.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
300.00
$
3,289.11

$
234.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
$
3,289.11

$
1,872.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
$
4,164.11

$
234.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
300.00
$
3,289.11

$
234.00
$
$
100.00
$
20.00
$
480.00
$
300.00
$
$
30.00
$
66.67
$
$
$
$
3,289.11

Cost of goods sold 5-0000

100

Opening stock

200

Purchases

300

Freight
TOTAL CoGS

10
20
50
70
100
220
240
400
410
490
510
520
550

570
590

Rent
Repairs and
maintenance

600

Wages

650

Security

670

Sundry expenses

680

Telephone charges

700

Training and
development

720

Utilities

740

Write off expenses

750

Superannuation
TOTAL EXPENSES

GROSS PROFIT
Capital on loan
Interest on loan
NET PROFIT

$
41,950.14
$
3,000.00
$
121,536.00
$
3,840.00
$
1,200.00
$
1,788.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
1,500.00
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
1,500.00
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
3,495.85
$
$
10,128.00
$
320.00
$
100.00
$
149.00

$
6,173.00
$
4,980.00
$
3,000.00
$
11,242.08
$
265,196.03

$
$
$
$
936.84
$
22,714.96

$
$
1,245.00
$
$
936.84
$
21,394.46

$
$
$
$
936.84
$
21,149.46

$
$
$
$
936.84
$
22,162.46

$
$
1,245.00
$
$
936.84
$
21,194.46

$
$
$
1,500.00
$
936.84
$
21,149.46

$
2,805.00
$
$
$
936.84
$
23,574.46

$
$
1,245.00
$
$
936.84
$
22,832.46

$
$
$
$
936.84
$
19,649.46

$
$
$
$
936.84
$
23,662.46

$
$
1,245.00
$
$
936.84
$
21,194.46

$
3,368.00
$
$
1,500.00
$
936.84
$
24,517.46

$
97,726.34
$
11,934.24
$
5,690.35
$
80,101.75

$
22,538.90
$
994.52
$
497.50
$
21,046.88

-$
3,236.20
$
994.52
$
493.38
-$
4,724.10

-$
8,753.75
$
994.52
$
489.22
-$
10,237.50

-$
8,214.96
$
994.52
$
485.03
-$
9,694.51

$
25,318.74
$
994.52
$
480.81
$
23,843.41

$
46,340.69
$
994.52
$
476.55
$
44,869.62

-$
6,840.52
$
994.52
$
472.25
-$
8,307.29

-$
17,330.97
$
994.52
$
467.92
-$
18,793.41

-$
8,385.22
$
994.52
$
463.56
-$
9,843.30

$
10,003.53
$
994.52
$
459.16
$
8,549.85

$
17,941.53
$
994.52
$
454.72
$
16,492.29

$
28,344.57
$
994.52
$
450.24
$
26,899.81

Five Year Forecast beginning 2014/15

Revenue 4-0000

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

4010

Sale of goods

394,350.00

444,100.00

465,550.00

515,300.00

515,300.00

551,425.00

4020

GST

39,435.00

44,410.00

46,555.00

51,530.00

51,530.00

55,142.50

5020

Interest

377.37

391.61

406.39

421.73

437.64

454.16

TOTAL INCOME

434,162.37

488,901.61

512,511.39

567,251.73

567,267.64

607,021.66

Cost of goods sold 5-0000

100

Opening stock

200

Purchases

65,000.00

67,600.00

68,900.00

71,500.00

70,200.00

67,600.00

300

Freight

6,240.00

6,500.00

6,500.00

6,760.00

6,890.00

7,020.00

TOTAL CoGS

71,240.00

74,100.00

75,400.00

78,260.00

77,090.00

74,620.00

Expenses 6-0000
10

Accounting fees

9,360.00

9,360.00

9,464.00

9,490.00

9,620.00

9,620.00

20

Advertising

187.00

3,000.00

3,000.00

10,000.00

10,000.00

10,000.00

50

Audit fees

1,200.00

1,200.00

1,200.00

1,200.00

1,200.00

1,200.00

70

Bank charges

240.00

240.00

240.00

240.00

240.00

240.00

100

Cleaning / Pest control

6,160.00

6,900.00

6,900.00

6,900.00

7,180.00

7,180.00

220

Computer expenses

3,600.00

1,500.00

1,500.00

6,000.00

1,500.00

1,500.00

240

Credit card fees

84.50

84.50

84.50

84.50

84.50

84.50

400

General insurance

360.00

360.00

360.00

360.00

360.00

360.00

410

Public liability insurance

800.00

800.00

800.00

800.00

800.00

800.00

490

Membership fees

236.00

236.00

510

Postage / Courier

90.00

90.00

90.00

90.00

90.00

90.00

520

Printing and stationery

1,200.00

1,200.00

1,250.00

1,260.00

1,240.00

1,240.00

550

Rates and taxes

42,969.31

43,158.31

43,158.31

43,357.51

43,567.51

43,788.81

570

Rent

41,950.14

41,950.14

41,950.14

44,215.45

46,603.08

46,603.08

590

Repairs and maintenance

3,000.00

3,000.00

3,000.00

3,000.00

3,000.00

3,000.00

600

Wages

121,536.00

142,464.00

147,936.00

169,382.40

172,838.40

180,451.20

650

Security

3,840.00

3,840.00

3,840.00

3,840.00

3,840.00

3,840.00

670

Sundry expenses

1,200.00

1,200.00

1,200.00

1,200.00

1,200.00

1,200.00

680

Telephone charges

1,788.00

1,788.00

1,788.00

1,788.00

1,788.00

1,788.00

700

Training and development

6,173.00

1,704.00

720

Utilities

4,980.00

5,248.92

5,532.36

5,831.11

6,145.99

6,477.87

740

Write off expenses

3,000.00

3,000.00

3,000.00

3,000.00

3,000.00

3,000.00

750

Superannuation

11,242.08

13,177.92

13,684.08

15,667.87

15,987.55

16,691.74

TOTAL EXPENSES

265,196.03

283,561.79

289,977.39

329,646.84

330,285.03

339,155.20

GROSS PROFIT

97,726.34

131,239.82

147,134.00

159,344.89

159,892.61

193,246.46

Capital on loan

11,934.24

11,934.24

11,934.24

11,934.24

11,934.24

11,934.24

Interest on loan

5,690.35

NET PROFIT

80,101.75

5149.280276
$

114,156.30

4659.658433
$

130,540.10

4216.592523
$

143,194.06

3815.655752
$

144,142.71

3452.842251
$

177,859.38

Dane Merkel
62 McSweeney Cresent
Gordonvale, QLD 4865
Phone: 0438 556 989
Dear AAA Dummy Company human resources department,
RE: Electrical engineering co-op placement
I am writing to express my interest in the electrical engineering position in Rockhampton
advertised to Central Queensland University students through OPUS beginning on 23 June
2014.
I am currently a third year electrical engineering student with a GPA of 6.4 out of 7 with
experience in electrical engineering with Ergon Energy, IT industry and hospitality. This
experience has allowed me to develop excellent communication skills, both written and oral
and build a solid knowledge base within the field of electrical engineering.
A job with AAA Dummy Company would not only provide me with the opportunity to advance
my career in electrical engineering but allow me to utilise my skills in a team environment
whilst constantly improving. Seven years of experience in hospitality has given me the ability
to communicate effectively with staff and customers from a diverse demographic.
I have industry experience with Ergon Energy, where I was responsible for developing and
testing alternative methods of load control and assisting the control systems work group with
business cases and technical reports. This experience demonstrates my ability to learn new
skills and communicate this information to stakeholders.
If given this opportunity I am confident that my previous experience and skills can help AAA
Dummy Company achieve its goals of being a leading engineering firm in the Rockhampton
area and give me the opportunity to further develop my skill sets. I have attached my resume
and a letter addressing your companys key selection criteria to this letter and can be
contacted at any time by phone: 0438 556 989 or email: dane.merkel@cqumail.com to
arrange an interview.
Thank you for your time considering my application,
Yours Sincerely,
Dane Merkel

Statement addressing key selection criteria

Dane Merkel
AAA Dummy Company

Written and oral presentation skills

Excellent written and oral presentation skills have been developed throughout my education
and work in hospitality, IT and engineering. Through feedback and reflection my presentation
skills are constantly improving.
Working with Ergon Energy I was required to create presentations to give to other
employees explaining the work I completed or communicate project information to
stakeholders. A teleconference led by myself involving network planning, operations, control
systems and other relevant stakeholders was held for me to discuss the projects intent,
proposed plan and identify any risks other stakeholders may be aware of. The outcome of
the presentation was approval to begin implementing a new load management trial at
Innisfail. I documented the progress of the trial and created reports detailing the outcomes of
the trial. A further presentation to control systems and network planning workgroups resulted
in the trial being expanded to Cairns and the surrounding area where it would be evaluated
again at completion.
In my first year of university I undertook an industry project with Queensland Main Roads
involving potential modifications to major intersections in Mackay. The project required a
technical report detailing findings be created and a presentation be given to students,
teaching staff and engineers present in the community. I achieved a high distinction for this
course proving my ability for both written and oral presentation skills.
Preparing technical and non-technical reports, project scopes and other project reports at
Ergon Energy and at university further developed my written presentation skills. The ability to
answer customer or employee questions, and communicate with others both in person and
over the phone shows my outstanding oral presentation skills.

Ability to work in a team

Working in team environments in multiple industries allows me to demonstrate my capacity

to work in a team. Working in hospitality for seven years exposed me to situations that
required me to show leadership and supervise other employees and to follow instruction
from my own supervisors. This required me to have excellent interpersonal skills to succeed.
Working with a diverse demographic including staff members and customers gave me the
opportunity to improve my communication skills which has benefitted me throughout
university studies and career as an engineer.
While working with Ergon Energy I have been involved with projects requiring me to work
with people in multiple areas of Queensland, often via teleconference and email. I was
tasked with completing the research and planning for a tariff contingency switching project,
which required me to gather information from network planning, asset management and
control systems. I compiled this information into a report and presented it back to my team
and other stakeholders resulting in the project being approved and a separate project to be
included as part of my responsibilities.

Statement addressing key selection criteria

Dane Merkel
AAA Dummy Company
This experience shows my proven ability to work as a part of a team or as a leader when
required. These skills have been furthered through team projects at university which I
achieved distinctions and high distinctions. Working as part of a team as an IT technician
required communication between team members so everyone was aware of a jobs progress.
It was required to update a database with comprehensive information so in the event of an
absence another member of the team could continue the work, allowing me to be an efficient
team member.

Organisational skills

Well-developed organisational skills have helped me to excel in all aspects of my life. I was
often required to open a bar when I was in the hospitality industry. Working in a busy cocktail
bar required planning to ensure resources would be available throughout the night. This
included organising staff members, stock, garnishes and cash.
While employed as an electrical engineer I was responsible for meeting deadlines on
multiple projects. I had milestones due on two separate load management projects and
some research for RTU equipment upgrades to complete in a fortnight, along with regular
meetings and day to day work. To manage this I utilised a daily diary, Microsoft outlook and
project schedules as set out in the project scope. Constant communication with the rest of
my team allowed me to achieve all target dates as required.
Working as a busy IT technician required me to be constantly multitasking between repairing
multiple computers, answers telephone calls, communicating with suppliers and customers
and general shop operations, including call outs. To effectively manage this I demonstrated
excellent organisational skills.

Basic engineering knowledge

Successful completion of two years of university with a GPA of 6.5 out of 7, including
courses focusing on engineering skills, engineering mathematics and engineering physics
have has given me a solid engineering foundation which has been extended into electrical
engineering with further courses and experience with Ergon Energy.
During my time at Ergon Energy I was employed in the Control Systems workgroup and
involved in load management projects. I often used SCADA to obtain information used to
make engineering decisions. I found that occasionally there were errors in SCADA, which
often required application of the knowledge learned at university to manually calculate load
and current flows. I found some errors in transducer readings which were fixed once
reported.
I was also placed in charge of developing a new load management pilot which involved
changing the way controllable tariffs are switched. I was responsible for planning the pilot,
implementing and monitoring progress and creating technical and non-technical reports for
stakeholders.

Statement addressing key selection criteria

Dane Merkel
AAA Dummy Company

Computer skills including MS Office and CAD

Industry experience with Ergon Energy and as an IT technician has allowed me to develop
excellent MS Office skills including advanced features of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and
exposure to Access. Whilst working with Ergon Energy I utilised Word to create technical
and non-technical reports to be distributed to stakeholders, and often created a presentation
to accompany documents via PowerPoint.
I used Excel to analyse and manipulate data as well as presenting it graphically. This data
was often used to model expected results and could be modified once validated or in
presentations to stakeholders to show results of my work. I am experienced with advanced
features of Excel including formulas, conditional formatting and basic macros. Whilst
employed at Lavington Computers I used Access to keep track of our customer database
and current jobs. I was also involved with modifying the database to improve functionality.
Exposure to AutoCAD whilst at university has allowed me to develop a basic knowledge
base in both 2-D and 3-D modelling. I have experience in isometric and orthographic
drawings and am familiar with Australian Standards AS1100 relating to technical drawings.

Resume
Name: Dane Merkel

Contact number: 0438 556 989

Email: dane.merkel@cqumail.com
Mailing address: 62 McSweeney Cres, Gordonvale, QLD, 4865

Career Objective: To gain vacation work and placement in power engineering to

develop skills in a broad range of fields, ultimately pursuing a career in control
systems or power systems protection with a transmission or distribution company.
Education History:
2012 Current

Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical)/Diploma of

Professional Practice
Central Queensland University
Expected completion date: June 2016
Current GPA: 6.4 (out of seven)

2009

Higher School Certificate

Murray High School, Albury NSW

Licenses/Certificates:

Current QLD open C class drivers license / learner RE class motorcycle

licence

Current first aid / CPR certificate

Current QLD working with children blue card

QLD RSA / RSG / Gaming license

Professional Associations:

Student member of Engineers Australia

Dane Merkel

Page | 1

Work Experience:
2013 Present

Ergon Energy Electrical Engineering coop student

Coop student in control systems workgroup, responsible for planning and

implementing a target based load management program trial in multiple
regions of Queensland.

Modelling of load profiles for substations, feeders, regions and the Ergon
network to determine system parameters for the load management program.

Stakeholder engagement to inform of proposed load management changes

and obtain appropriate feedback via email, telephone and face to face
conversations.

Monitor and identify load management program defects in SCADA and

implementing solutions to rectify defects.

Technical and non-technical reporting, both verbal and written.

Planning and implementation of Energy Sense Communities projects,

involving load modelling, stakeholder meetings, determining AFLC capabilities
and limitations and reviews of current operational procedures.

2012 2013

Austral Hotel Mackay Bar/Gaming Attendant

Operation of public and bistro bar, including drink and food service.

TAB, Keno and poker machine payouts and cash reconciliation.

Closing of venue, bar and bistro.

2008 2012

Lavington Computers IT Technician

Computer repair and maintenance, including software and hardware.

Website maintenance, including regular updates to company page.

Consulting and quoting computers and/or components.

Payment management for customers and suppliers via MYOB accounting

software.

Diagnosis and repair onsite and offsite as call outs were available.

Networking setup, diagnosis and repair.

Dane Merkel

Page | 2

Work Skills Matrix:

Skill
Interpersonal and
communication skills

Competence
Excellent

Evidence
Involvement in telephone
conversations, face to face meetings
and teleconferences, both technical
and non-technical whilst employed at
Ergon, complemented by seven years
of experience in the hospitality
industry.

Written communications

Excellent

Experience with technical and nontechnical report writing at Ergon

Energy and university.

Ability to work under

pressure

Excellent

Multitasking and meeting deadlines as

a coop engineer at Ergon Energy and
as an IT technician at Lavington
Computers

Teamwork

Excellent

Leadership

High

Working in teams both locally and

distance to coordinate project work at
Ergon and years in hospitality as both
a supervisor and subordinate. Further
developed through playing rugby
league and touch football and
volunteering with Queensland SES.
Experience as an SES volunteer,
supervisor in cafs and pubs and
through project management with
Ergon Energy.

Organisation

Very high

Microsoft Office Suite

Very high

AutoCAD

Experienced

MYOB / Quicken software

Experienced

ABB SCADA

Experienced

Dane Merkel

Project management and meeting

preparation whilst employed at Ergon
Energy plus coordinating university
study with work, sport and volunteer
commitments.
Employment at Lavington Computers
and Ergon Energy.
Knowledge gained through university
studies
Exposure to accounting software
working at Lavington Computers.
Experience gained through load
management projects with Ergon
Energy
Page | 3

Community Involvement:
2014

SES Community member

Involvement in local SES activities.

2013

Mackay residential advisor & Join-in leader / supervisor

Provides support for students living on campus in Mackay. Plan,
facilitate and organise peer led study sessions for students.

2013

Mackay student mentor

Provides support for students transitioning into their first year of
university study.

Interests:
Snowboarding: I have been snowboarding every year for the past six years and hope
to travel overseas to visit snowfields outside of Australia.
Horse riding: I was a competitive horse rider when I was younger, winning events at
the zone level and representing state for dressage.
Rugby league: I have been playing rugby league competitively for six years.
References:

Professional Reference:

Professional Reference:

David Thompson

Andrew Kunst

Ergon Energy

Ergon Energy

Principle engineer control systems

Senior engineer control systems

(07) 4080 4736

(07) 4080 4782

Professional Reference:

Personal Reference:

Richard Condon

Arun Patil

Austral Hotel Mackay

Central Queensland University

Venue Manager

School of Engineering and Technology

(07) 4951 3288

(07) 4940 7549

Dane Merkel

Page | 4

Reflective Paper
As an electrical engineer, I completed my first coop placement at Ergon Energy and would
like to expose myself to a different type of work for my second placement to give myself a
broader range of experience before graduating. Talking to students in years above me I
have heard nothing but outstanding feedback on LogiCamms in Mackay so I jumped at the
chance to watch Patrick Fishers training video.
The only experience I have with electric circuits is from the digital electronics course which I
enjoyed and have been interested as a possible career opportunity. Watching Patricks video
gave me some insight into the type of work that LogiCamms performs and taught me the
basics of programming a logic chip and testing the PLC. I believe the information I learned
from Patricks video, although only introductory, provides me some background knowledge
on the work performed by LogiCamms that I can use to show my interest in a company like
this.
The skill I have learned from this video however is not how to program a PLC, it is the
ensuring proper planning and monitoring of a project. The workplace videos I chose to
watch were from a range of industries but I found this was a common theme between many
of the videos from all industries. Patrick mentions the importance of understanding the
process that is to be followed before creating the required ladder logic, and finished the
video by emulating the circuit to ensure if performs as required. Without this check it would
be easy to make an error that would be difficult to pick up in a later stage of the project.
While working with Ergon Energy I found that the majority of my time was spent planning to
ensure I stayed organised and that a project ran to schedule. The same skill is shown in the
mechanical field by Sam Eborn who lists the steps to creating and completing and inspection
and test plan (ITP). The first step is to create a list of tasks to be completed in the ITP and
Sam explicitly says that it is important to have approval from the client before beginning a
project so that there are no surprises later in the project. This is then added to the project
schedule to allow the engineer to monitor progress and ensure the project is going to be
completed on schedule. The importance of monitoring is emphasised by Sam towards the
end of his video what he explains how waiting to get signatures can make the whole project
fall behind and things get forgotten. By utilising Gantt charts and constant project monitoring
it is simple to complete the ITP as required resulting client satisfaction and the company
meeting its targets.
This same skill of planning and monitoring can be seen again in the civil industry in Caitlyn
Carmody when she discusses supervising a concrete pour. Within the first minute Caitlyn
talks about pre-pour check lists and inspections being required. An ITP is discusses outlines
the activities to be completed, specifications and mentions again that an ITP is to be
submitted to the client prior to construction beginning. This is a form of project planning, that
without has the potential for catastrophic project failures, whether it be a schedule or budget
blowout, increased safety hazards or many other negative project impacts. Throughout the
entire concrete pour process Caitlyn constantly mentions confirming work has been
completed correctly and to standards before the next stage can begin. Controlling and
monitoring these variables in a further application of the skill I have learned. Slump tests and
strength tests are monitored to ensure the quality of the concrete is acceptable.

Throughout my placement with Ergon Energy I was aware of the importance of planning and
monitoring. Before making major changes I had to create documentation of proposed
changes and expected results and have them approved by my supervisor or relevant
stakeholders. Now that I have seen that this skill is applied throughout the engineering
industry as a whole, I feel more confident in entering a workplace and being prepared to
complete a project.

3. Responsibility for engineering activities

Between October 2013 and June 2014 I worked at Ergon Energy as a coop electrical
engineer in the control systems work group. In this time I was given responsibility multiple
projects including piloting a new method of load control known as target control, and I was
involved in planning to replace equipment known as RDASs.
To inform stakeholders of the load management changes that would be occurring I created a
project scope document which was circulated to work groups that may be impacted by the
trial. Once reviewed and feedback was received I updated the design brief for the project
accordingly, which included a new hypothesis to identify if there is the impact of solar panels
on the electricity network can be mitigated by my project. The project was planned to be
complete by 31 October 2014 which is after I had finished my placement. I found out there
would be a new student starting a coop placement to take over the project and took it upon
myself to create guidelines and detailed documentation of the projects progress and how
settings had been determined so the student would be able to fully understand what I had
done and how I found this information.
I had the documents reviewed by colleagues not directly involved in the project and modified
the instructions according to their feedback. This way I was able to ensure the
documentation could be understood by someone unfamiliar with the project and provide a
smooth project handover to the new student.
As I was responsible for the project I took it upon myself to create a schedule to track project
progress and organise future changes. Included in this schedule were key milestones such
as dates a substation would be changed to target control and when updates needed to be
sent to other work groups. This ensured that I was able to maintain control of the project and
work efficiently with other work groups. Before any changes were made I notified
stakeholders listed in Ergon Energys persons to notify spreadsheet via email. This allowed
me to address any stakeholder concerns and receive feedback regarding any negative or
positive impacts of the trial. I took it upon myself to address any complaints that were raised
by customers and find a solution to the problem. This included investigating reasons for hot
water shortages, where I identified a flaw in the load management automatic program. I
developed a document detailing the problem and had it rectified by Ventyx, the company that
provides the load management program.
In addition to this, I ensured I had a full understanding of the load management program
before making any changes. All changes I made were subject to a risk assessment and
approval by relevant stakeholders. I was tasked with identifying equipment models in
multiple substations across Queensland, and the available communication methods at each
site. In doing so I was able to identify the limitations of each site and develop engineering
solutions to replace or upgrade equipment at each site.
I was also often required to review technical reports and provide feedback. I reviewed a draft
standard written by my workgroup detailing the required processes for automatic voltage
regulation at substations. I identified spelling mistakes, areas that required further
explanation and calculation errors. This feedback was sent back to the author and the
changes were implemented. The standards were being updated to a new template as

required by Ergon Energy and my review helped others in my work group to successfully
migrate to the new template.

eChartered Engineering Competency Claims

Dane Merkel

Claim 6. Identify, assess and manage risks

As a coop electrical engineer working for Ergon Energy I have been tasked with planning,
implementing a reviewing the outcomes of a project pilot. The project involves changing the
way controllable load that can be switched on / off by the utility is controlled, from a time
based schedule to a target based application. This project required me to develop a plan to
trial the pilot and is ongoing. Initial consultation with stakeholders resulted in a risk
assessment determining there is a high risk that this project could result in network
constraints being reached on some feeders and a moderate risk that legislative requirements
may not be met, both having high level consequences. A low risk of customers being
negatively impacted was identified with moderate consequence. The project often requires
input from colleagues in other work groups and locations to identify risks and implement
appropriate controls.
I use historical data to identify any feeders that could potentially be a problem. Consultation
with control centre operators, senior network planning engineers and field crews is then used
to ensure there are no other feeders with recent changes that may impact the project. Once
all potential problem feeders in an area are identified, appropriate network limits are
determined based on calculations and network modelling of controllable load, then
implemented on the feeders to prevent them reaching capacity, eliminating the risk.
The implementation of this project involves a staged roll out and is completed at each site
that has audio frequency load control capability, referred to as bulk supply points for the
purpose of this document. To better manage all risks I selected a small site to implement
target control, tested all load management parameters were working successfully and
gained confidence in the load management programs functionality. A problem in the load
management application was identified that prevented load being switched off for particular
circumstances. This was documented and the report passed onto the supervisory control
and data acquisition workgroup for resolution.
Once resolved I developed a plan to bring further bulk supply points in the far north region
under target control. The bulk supply points are being added one at a time and each is
having functionality tested before the next is added. There are four main limits that affect
how the load is controlled and after each addition to target control the Ergon network and the
far north region limit are evaluated to ensure they are set appropriately. This staged roll out
is minimising the risk of unexpected changes to the network and allowing providing the
ability to accurately and quickly identify and resolve issues that may occur. The staged roll
out allows identification of risks that occur during the project due to changes in the network.
The process above is repeated for each bulk supply point to have control changed and I
seek approval from a senior engineer is sought before changes are implemented. The
process is documented and report feedback is taken into consideration. Having the process
peer reviewed and approved reduces the risk of error in calculation.
Legislation requires tariff 33 be available to customers for a minimum of 18 hours per day
and tariff 31 be available for 8 hours per day. To minimise the risk not meeting this
requirement the supervisory control and data acquisition workgroup was consulted before

eChartered Engineering Competency Claims

Dane Merkel
the project began to ensure an alarm is raised with network operators thirty minutes prior to
the allowable off time is reached, allowing manual control to prevent time limits being
exceeded.
I notify the National Contact Centre within Ergon Energy by email regarding any changes of
control before it occurs. This allows any customer complaints to be identified as possible
result of the project and appropriate responses to be taken. To date there have been no
reported complaints directly related to this project but this system allows me to quickly
identify any negative customer impacts.
As a coop student I have been given responsibility for this project, including managing the
inherit risk that goes with the project. By applying a risk management framework I am able to
identify potential risks and eliminate or reduce the risk to an acceptable level.