SCU plan to skill workers in bush
SOUTHERN Cross University is working to solve a critical problem plaguing Australia’s regions – an educational disconnect which has created a shortage of both skilled workers for emerging industries and a shortage of jobs.
Vice-Chancellor Adam Shoemaker is spearheading a proposal that could boost business and employment across Australia and save taxpayers a hefty chunk of the nation’s unemployment benefits bill.
The University has called on politicians from all parties to support their New Regional Deal, which proposes to create new levels of access to higher education for thousands of regional Australians.
“Australia needs innovative ideas and a smart workforce to create new industries that capitalise on the emerging new generational agricultural boom in Asia – offering huge opportunities to regional Australians,” Prof Shoemaker said.
“In our regions, companies are setting up multimilliondollar enterprises in medicinal plant production and organics, but struggling to find the right workforce.
“At the same time, regional Australians have lower employment rates, lower income levels and poorer health outcomes than people in cities.
“The New Regional Deal offers to bridge the divide, accelerate the progression of thousands of regional Australians into higher education and create a workforce for the future.”
Prof Shoemaker presented the New Regional Deal to The Federal Government’s independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education.
The New Regional Deal calls for 10,000 Commonwealth Grant Schemesupported places in regional enabling courses, providing pathways to higher education for students who have talent but lack the preparation to start a degree.
It also calls for a four-year, $50 million-a-year commitment to address the chronic underfunding of regional campuses and an improved regional loading formula to provide certainty of funding to regional university campuses.
“We know there are thousands of talented, highly capable students in regional Australia who don’t have the qualifications or sometimes the confidence to get straight into university,” Prof Shoemaker said. “This proposal offers a rare opportunity to lower spending on welfare, help unemployed regional people into jobs, and create a valued regional workforce.”
THE NEW REGIONAL DEAL OFFERS TO BRIDGE THE DIVIDE, ACCELERATE THE PROGRESSION ... AND CREATE A WORKFORCE FOR THE FUTURE