Country Education Partnership

What Country Education Partnership does

Country Education Partnership (CEP) is a not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Maryborough, Victoria, that supports the provision of high-quality education within rural and remote communities across the Australian state of Victoria. CEP operates a portfolio of programs rather than a unified technology platform, including the Energy Breakthrough hands-on STEM competition (running since 1991), the Teach Rural pre-service teacher placement pilot, the Clusters school collaboration model, the Professional Development Online Series, the Rural Youth Ambassadors leadership program, and the long-standing MARC/MACC mobile library and arts programs. CEP also publishes Bush Voices, its community-facing newsletter. The organisation is governed by an elected Committee of Management chaired by Peter Greenwell, with Jason Whiteley as Deputy Chair, and is led by CEO Mark McLay (since January 2022). CEP functions as a recognised advocacy voice for rural education and convenes annual events such as the P-12 Leadership Summit and the November Energy Breakthrough showcase in Maryborough.

CEP's core technology is non-proprietary — it operates a website (cep.org.au), social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), and webinar-based PD delivery — and its underlying value is delivered through human-led program management, cluster facilitation, and partnerships. Its business model is membership-based, with three annual subscription tiers (Rural Education Organisation Membership, which is automatic for qualifying schools in rural locations; Individual Membership; and Associate Membership) that grant access to advocacy support, event discounts, Torrens University scholarships, and the PD Online Series. Revenue is supplemented by donations through a Business Partners program and a co-funding relationship with the Victorian Department of Education and Training, which pays educator salaries for the MARC/MACC programs. CEP does not disclose specific membership fees, revenue figures, or audited financials in public materials. Strategic partnerships with universities (Federation, La Trobe, Torrens, Melbourne/Ormond College), the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, and state education authorities underpin the workforce development and scholarship offerings.

Name

Country Education Partnership

Legal name

Country Education Partnership

Website

https://cep.org.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Country Education Partnership is a Victorian not-for-profit that advocates for and supports rural schools through programs including Energy Breakthrough, Teach Rural, school clusters, professional development, and Rural Youth Ambassadors, funded by memberships, donations, and government partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Education Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural/Regional Community Colleges (EDAHADAK)

Keywords

• Rural education support
• Teacher professional development
• School cluster programs
• STEM student programs
• Education advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Maryborough

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: CEP generates revenue through annual membership fees from rural education organisations, individual members, and associate members. Membership provides access to advocacy, events, professional development, scholarships, and cluster support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Country Education Partnership is a not-for-profit organisation that supports the provision of high quality education within rural and remote communities across Victoria, Australia. CEP delivers its mission through membership-based programs including Teach Rural (pre-service teacher placements), Clusters (school collaboration framework), Energy Breakthrough (annual STEM vehicle competition), Professional Development Online Series, Rural Youth Ambassadors, and the MARC/MACC mobile library and arts programs.

Product overview

Country Education Partnership is a not-for-profit organization providing advocacy and support services for rural schools in Victoria, Australia. The organization offers a portfolio of education-focused programs rather than a unified software product. Key offerings include: the Teach Rural program (pre-service teacher placement support), the Clusters program (school collaboration framework), the Energy Breakthrough STEM initiative (annual competition), the Professional Development Online Series (webinar-based training), the Rural Youth Ambassadors program (student leadership), the MARC/MACC mobile resource programs, and Bush Voices publication. These programs are standalone initiatives united by CEP's mission to strengthen rural education, not modules of a single technology platform. Membership provides access to advocacy, discounts, and resources across these programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Energy Breakthrough: STEM initiative launched in 1991 providing hands-on learning through designing and building vehicles and machines
• Teach Rural
• Rural Youth Ambassadors
• Professional Development Online Series
• Clusters

Products and services

• Rural Youth Ambassadors A leadership development program that provides young people in rural communities with opportunities to develop ambassadorial skills and strengthen their leadership capacity through partnerships with education sectors, rural communities, and governments.
• Teach Rural A pre-service teacher placement program that arranges rural teaching placements for university students, providing accommodation subsidies, well-being mentors, and community connection events to encourage future teachers to consider rural careers.
• Clusters A school clustering model where multiple rural schools collaborate to maximize resources, share staff, coordinate professional development, and undertake joint student programs while maintaining individual autonomy.
• Energy Breakthrough A hands-on STEM initiative where school groups design and build human-powered vehicles, pedal-powered vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and machines to compete in an annual breakthrough celebration in Maryborough, Victoria.
• Professional Development Online Series A free online professional development series providing webinars and learning sessions for teachers and school leaders in rural areas, covering topics such as curriculum, well-being, leadership, and educational resources.
• Bush Voices CEP's regular publication providing news, updates, and stories relevant to rural education communities in Victoria.
• MARC and MACC Programs Mobile library and mobile arts programs operating on a partnership model where the Department of Education provides educator salaries and clusters of rural schools provide mobile vans and curriculum resources.
• Membership Program Membership categories including Rural Education Organisation Membership, Individual Membership, and Associate Membership, offering benefits such as advocacy support, event discounts, scholarships to Torrens University, and access to PD online and job directory.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 teams expected to compete in Energy Breakthrough 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Energy Breakthrough PartnerscoreOthers · 1 November 2026CEP initiated Energy Breakthrough in 1991 as an authentic hands-on STEM initiative. School groups work throughout the year to design, build and test vehicles and machines, culminating in a Breakthrough Celebration in Maryborough, Central Victoria. The event showcases student innovation across Victoria.
• Department of Education and TrainingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department of Education and Training provides salary for educators employed in each MARC (Mobile Library) and MACC (Mobile Arts) van. CEP developed this program over 30 years ago in partnership with rural communities.
• Ormond College (Melbourne University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKimberly Howells, Executive Director, Engagement & Innovation at Ormond College, speaks at CEP Professional Development sessions supporting rural futures and scholarships.
• Victorian Academy of Teaching and LeadershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTyron Paspa, Director, Regional Division at Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, participates in CEP PD sessions supporting small schools.
• Torrens University AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEP offers scholarships to Torrens University for all students and staff in member schools as a membership benefit.
• Business PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCEP has a Business Partners program supporting rural schools. Business partners can be found on the CEP donations page.
• Various UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEP's Teach Rural program negotiates placements with Victorian Universities for pre-service teachers. Federation University, La Trobe University, and others participate in PD sessions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Smith Family: The Smith Family is one of Australia's largest education-focused charities, supporting disadvantaged students through scholarships, mentoring, and learning programs. It operates at a much larger national scale than CEP but shares the same charity/advocacy model for educational equity.
• Independent Schools Australia: Independent Schools Australia is the national peak body representing independent schools, with a strong advocacy and policy role. It overlaps with CEP's advocacy function but operates across all schools nationally rather than the rural niche.

Direct peers

• Country Universities Centre: Country Universities Centre (CUC) is a not-for-profit network supporting rural and regional tertiary education access across Australia. Like CEP, CUC addresses educational disadvantage in country communities and partners with universities and government to extend services into thin markets.
• Schools Plus: Schools Plus is an Australian educational charity that channels philanthropic funding to disadvantaged schools. Its school-support, cluster-style delivery and donor-advised model is structurally similar to CEP's cluster and business partner approach.
• Teach For Australia: Teach For Australia places high-graduate teachers into disadvantaged and rural schools and develops them as leaders. Its teacher pipeline mission closely mirrors CEP's Teach Rural program, with shared focus on rural placement, mentoring, and long-term retention.
• Australian Indigenous Education Foundation: AIEF provides scholarships and support for Indigenous students to access quality education, with a strong regional and remote presence. Like CEP, AIEF partners with schools and universities to deliver programs targeted at underserved student populations.

Regional players

• Australian Council for Educational Research: ACER is Australia's national educational research body, conducting assessments, research, and program evaluation for schools. It operates in the same Australian education ecosystem as CEP and produces research that informs rural education policy.

Others

• Australian Rural Leadership Foundation: ARLF runs leadership development programs for people working in rural and remote Australia. While not education-specific, it shares CEP's rural community development orientation and provides capacity-building for rural leaders.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CountryEducationProject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/country-education-partnership
• Instagraminstagram.com/countryedpartnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Country Education Partnership