Opinion: Universities keeping pace with changing job market

University education not only equips graduates with qualifications but also provides skills and knowledge relevant and required for a future workforce, writes Geraldine Mackenzie.

University of Southern Queensland vice-chancellor Geraldine Mackenzie

Last weekend at my local supermarket, I met a lovely young man called Brad, who was working at the checkout.

In a chat about my own supermarket checkout days to support myself while studying at uni, he told me he was at uni too.

Brad had a previous career, but it wasn’t his passion, and he is now enrolled in the Bachelor of Film and Screen Production at the University of Southern Queensland.

At this time of year, with the release of ATARs and the excitement of university offers, there is always attention on school leavers and choices between employment, vocational or tertiary education. Talking with Brad was a great reminder of the value of education and that university offers everyone, regardless of age, an opportunity for a new career and the ability to follow their dreams.

The long-term benefits of a university education are many. Our rapidly evolving job market demands a skilled and educated workforce, and studies show that university graduates benefit from a higher earning potential over their lifetime.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare pointed out earlier this year, on the release of the Interim Australian Universities Accord Report, that in the future more and more jobs will need a university qualification.

In order to meet our future jobs needs, focus must remain on creating a balanced educational landscape where university education and vocational training are both recognised and valued for their unique contributions.

As the CEO of the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Dr John Griffiths said this week, there are many ways to proceed into tertiary study, and many different pathways to achieve your goals.

We also need to accept the current reality that many students will not transition straight from school to university, and we must make other pathways clear and easy for them to navigate.

The University of Southern Queensland is a leading provider of university pathway programs in Australia. Many of our pathway graduates have become leaders and innovators in their fields, including as doctors, engineers and other professionals.

Pathway programs often provide the opportunity for university education to those who would not otherwise have had the chance, including students from diverse backgrounds and those in regional and remote areas. Improving options for regional and remote students to enter university without the need to relocate has significant benefits for communities and families.

A great example of this is our end-to-end nursing node at Charleville – a collaboration with Southern Queensland Rural Health, South West Hospital and Health Service and Charleville State High School – allowing students to do their entire nursing training in the community at Charleville, eight hours’ drive west of Brisbane.

We know that 70 per cent of students who train in the regions stay in the regions, which is vital for our education and health workforce. We must do whatever we can to encourage this.

Universities play a vital role in finding breakthrough solutions to solve the problems that matter and make a difference. Students benefit at university by learning from leading researchers who bring their expertise to our physical and virtual university classrooms.

At the University of Southern Queensland, researchers in our flagship areas of space and defence, agriculture, health, and regional development are making that difference. We are making a major contribution in drought-preparedness for the regions, discovering more of the story of human migration to Australia, building Australia’s sovereign space capability, and developing solutions to improve the mental health of our young people.

Collaboration to find vital solutions remains critical. Universities across Australia are committed to working with government, business, industry, and the community to develop new research capabilities, drive commercialisation outcomes and invest in new industry engagement opportunities.

University education not only equips graduates with qualifications but also provides skills and knowledge relevant and required for a future workforce, essential for addressing the complex and global challenges we face in the 21st century and beyond.

As we navigate an evolving landscape, let us not lose sight of the enduring value a university education brings to individuals, communities, and the nation, and support the many school leavers and mature aged students considering university study. It’s never been a more important decision.

Professor Geraldine Mackenzie is University of Southern Queensland vice-chancellor