New Uni Hub Spencer Gulf in Port Pirie helps stem country ‘brain drain’

South Australia’s regions are turning to education as a means to stem the country “brain drain” — with new higher learning facilities aimed to keep young people from leaving the regions after they finish high school.

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A new university centre at Port Pirie will help stem the ‘brain drain’ and keep hundreds of young people from leaving the region once they finish high school.

Uni Hub Spencer Gulf opened in January, offering courses through Flinders, Adelaide and Central Queensland universities this year.

Another campus is also planned in Port Augusta.

Port Pirie Council chief executive Peter Ackland said the centre, backed with Federal Government funding, would help people gain new qualifications without leaving home — a vital factor in boosting the local population.

“Like any regional area, we see youth drawn to the city, to the bright lights and opportunities,” Mr Ackland said.

“There’s a stimulation that comes from new ways of thinking and if it’s relocated out of the city that’s an issue for us.

“We’re looking to it with a great degree of optimism to help our young people … or older people, upgrade their qualifications.”

Serina Stott, 18, had applied to study in Adelaide, but changed her plans when she won a peer mentor role at Uniting Country SA, formerly UnitingCare, in her home town.

Now, she will study social work through Central Queensland University at Port Pirie, saving money through living at home and keeping her new role, along with another job at KFC.

Serena Stott 18, will be studying social work at the new Port Pirie university. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Miss Stott said growing up in the town, she watched many young people leave the region when they finished school.

“It’s either you go to TAFE or you go to Adelaide,” she said.

“I think this will benefit the region a lot — a lot more people will stay rather than leaving.

“It will be beneficial for people as well because they’ll be around their family. If you go to Adelaide the first year (of university) is just drinking and partying.”

Uni Hub Spencer Gulf project manager Moira Coffey said just eight per cent of people in the region held a tertiary education qualification, compared with the state average of 23 per cent.

Port Augusta Mayor Brett Benbow said another branch was planned in his town, and likely to open early next year.

“It gives us an opportunity to lock people into our region,” Mr Benbow said.

“If they can stay here and study they can have a family, do some work and continue to live their life as a Port Augusta resident.

“But if people move away from home, they get comfortable where they are and don’t necessarily come back.”

Courses offered at the hub include nursing, education, social work and psychological science.

KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE FLEURIEU

A university base at Victor Harbor would give more young people the option of staying on the South Coast, rather than moving away after high school, the local council says.

Victor Harbor chief executive Victoria MacKirdy said her council would advocate for SA’s three major universities to bring more courses to the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Ms MacKirdy said ideally, these would focus on interest areas key to the region’s successes, such as the wine and food industries, marine biology, horticulture and tourism.

“It’s about keeping the younger generations here, so they can study and learn, and attracting international students as well,” she said.

The town’s TAFE campus may have the capacity to share its site with Adelaide University, the University of South Australia or Flinders University, Ms MacKirdy said.

The SA Whale Centre could also play a role in helping bring more courses to Victor Harbor.

It was fully funded by the council but provided research data across South Australia.

The council has approached Education Minister John Gardner and Industry and Skills Minister David Pisoni to discuss the issue in the region.

Hindmarsh Island woman Isabella Cook, 18, who has advocated for young people on a range of issues through MP Rebekha Sharkie’s Young Mayo forums, this year started a media degree at Adelaide University.

She has been able to consolidate all of her contact hours into one day, making it much easier to cope with the commute to Adelaide.

“But for people getting classes spread out over five days, it wouldn’t be achievable,” Miss Cook said.

Making the decision to move to Adelaide would also be a difficult one for many locals, she said, because rent in the city — even at dedicated student accommodation — was expensive.

Flinders University already has a base for its regional health arm, Flinders Rural Health SA, at Victor Harbor, covering medical, nursing and health sciences training.

A university spokesperson said students did clinical placements at towns across the Fleurieu Peninsula, Mount Barker and Kangaroo Island.

“With almost 20 per cent of Flinders University’s domestic student population coming from regional or remote areas, there is a concerted effort to offer flexible arrangement for study-from-home online or via an increasing number of online courses,” the spokesperson said.

TAFE SA’s regional manager for the area Tim Hutchinson, said there were 226 students enrolled at the Victor Harbor campus last year.

Its 27 courses focused on areas including business administration, aged care and disability support.

“At TAFE SA, we are always open to the opportunity to work with other education providers to meet local education and training needs,” Mr Hutchinson said.

“There are examples of where we are working with the universities across the state, including with our dual-offer qualifications.”

WHYALLA’S NEXT GENERATION

Students equipped with the knowledge of innovation skills and advanced technology will be at the ready to fill a range of next generation jobs expected as part of Whyalla’s transformation.

Whyalla has been promised hundreds of new jobs as it embarks on its most significant transformation backed by multi-million investments, including a $600 million spend by GFG Alliance at the steelworks.

TAFE SA’s Whyalla & Eyre Peninsula regional business development officer Megan Cox said talk of the investments had already spurred on residents to prepare for the future.

Ms Cox said the campus had 1975 people enrol for award qualifications in 2017-18, a rise of 10 per cent, while nearly 600 more students had enrolled in short courses.

“The increase in activity at GFG has also seen a surge in electrotechnology/instrumentation and engineering students and apprentices this year,” she said.

“More staff have also been employed in the workshops which are being utilised more regularly.”

The State Government’s new $100 million high school — which opens in 2022 to cater for 1500 students — is also expected to capture a range of industry pathways.

The school has been strategically placed between the UniSA and TAFE SA campuses.

“Students will have the opportunity to learn skills in innovation, advanced technology and to study in areas that have strong links to industry,” Education Minister John Gardner said.

“This investment positions Whyalla as an increasingly liveable community and presents the opportunity for more investment into the area.”

Regional Development Australia Whyalla Spencer Gulf chief executive Dion Dorward said it was important all players worked together to prepare and educate the future workforce.

“The workforce capacity and capability is our most significant risk to investment,” Mr Dorward said.

“What we’re all furiously trying to avoid is getting in a situation of losing investment because we don’t have the right workforce with the right skills.”