For a decade and a half, Howard Smith has been bringing his 'Survivor Life Skills' programs to the region - and while our lives have changed in that time, the importance of equipping local young people to head into the world hasn't.
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Mr Smith - who has over 30 years experience in the finance industry - brought his presentation to high school students at Mudgee, Gulgong and Kandos.
"The Year 7 programs are very much run on the theme of Survivor the show for every subject. And we cover things like budgeting; banking, such as what interest is; and payslips, how they're set out and tax," he said.
"With the Year 10s we were doing interview skills and techniques. And with Year 11s we were doing stress, the HSC, and goal-setting and action plans."
Mr Smith has been coming to MHS since 2005, with everybody's favourite device changing lives noticeably in that time.
"In the Year 7 program there is a component on mobile phones, which is certainly something that we've seen that young people need to take control of - there are some out there that are working part-time jobs for no other reason than to pay for it," he said.
"And that's something that grown within the last 10 years."
By extension, apps have also transformed banking.
"We still talk about things like cheques, deposits and withdrawals, and use the old-fashioned idea as our introduction but that leads into the electronic side of banking," he said.
"Which is something that has only come about in the last five/six years, where we have to move away from the 'paper' idea of deposits and withdrawals."
The financial guru added that "while anything that helps you keep track of your money is great" there remains the need to educate in the use of such apps, particularly when users are able to use funds without a card.
The presentation was brought to the area through sponsorship from Mid-Western Regional Council, Club Mudgee, and Moolarben Coal.
Yancoal senior environment and community coordinator Ashley Tones said, "it provides positive input into the local community and a great program that Yancoal is happy to support".
And Club Mudgee CEO, Maureen Hutchison, added, "it's investing back into the youth of the region and giving great life skills".
The backing has also helped to expand the program.
"We're now doing two trips per year and in December we're working with Year 12 in their first term [fourth term for current Year 11], which is solely financial literacy," Mr Smith said.
"And that's everything from superannuation, the credit file, budgeting as a older person with more responsibilities, loans, and a lot on credit cards and the pitfalls.
"It's taking it to the next level with those students, because they're adults about to leave school. And within the next 12 months they'll be going for things like car loans."
