Projects to boost regional development
Historic agreements aimed at boosting the development prospects of the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay regions over the next 20 years will be signed at the University of the Sunshine Coast today (Friday 12 September).
The two agreements – one of which will have a particular emphasis on providing more engineering graduates – will establish partnerships between USC and the University of Southern Queensland, Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE (SCIT), Wide Bay Burnett Institute of TAFE and the Queensland Government.
USC Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Thomas AM and representatives from USQ, SCIT, the Wide Bay Institute of TAFE, Sunshine Coast Education Executive and Education Hervey Bay will sign the agreements.
USC’s Professor of Regional Engagement Steve Garlick said the agreements would cover two projects that recently received funding from the Federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).
One is a collaborative project between USC and USQ to develop and implement a cross-university and Vocational Education and Training (VET) program to enhance efficiency and achieve strong educational outcomes for the two regions.
The second is an engineering project led by USC which aims to improve and grow engineering pathways across the Sunshine Coast.
Professor Garlick said the projects would address key issues involved in the supply and demand for skilled workers in the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay Burnett regions.
“These projects seek to not only address skills shortages, but to identify ways the universities can enhance their engagement activities to assist with this,” he said.
“They are designed to lift the development prospects of the two regions and, at the same time, deliver on better outcomes for local graduates and contribute towards the region’s development.”
— Terry Walsh