Nurses, teachers and IT workers among highest-growth study fields in Western Sydney’s future

Getting Western Sydney schoolkids into university represents the region’s greatest risk and reward, with new analysis revealing the soaring demand for degrees in health and education.

Year 9 and 10 students - (from left) Heli Desai, Janvi Patwal and Inara Ahmed — at Macarthur Girls High School in Parramatta with their head of science Murray Henstock. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Getting more schoolkids into higher education will be “critical” to resolving Western Sydney's skills shortage, the boss of the University of Sydney says, as new analysis reveals demand for degrees in health and education will soar amid a shortage of nurses and teachers.

Research commissioned by the University of Sydney has found demand for higher education in Western Sydney will grow by up to 84 per cent by 2050, increasing to 264,000 students each year from the 144,000 studying throughout the region in 2023.

While around half that demand comes as a result of population growth, the Deloitte Access Economics report forecasts “ongoing economic and occupational trends for greater skilling and productivity requirements” will account for a further 28 per cent.

Even under a conservative scenario in which future enrolments are modelled off base population growth alone – without taking into account future productivity trends – demand for higher education in Western Sydney would increase by 203,000 students.

However, the number of educators, nurses, IT professionals and “clean economy” workers needed across the region will increase at similar rates to 2050, rising 66 per cent for teachers, 62 per cent for nurses and midwives and a whopping 82 per cent in the technology field.

A report prepared by Deloitte Access Economics for the University of Sydney has revealed the potential of the Western Sydney region to resolve skills shortages as demand for higher education grows.

A quarter of schools in Western Sydney face a “critical shortage” of teachers, the Western Sydney Secondary Principals Council told a federal funding review panel late last year, which members expected to worsen in 2024 and 2025.

There were almost 363,000 nurses registered across the country in 2022 but by 2035 Australia will need another 80,000 to meet demand, Department of Health and Aged Care modelling shows.

NSW teachers and supporters rally along Macquarie St in June 2022 in Sydney, on strike over pay and staff shortages. Picture: Getty Images

“Western Sydney has, and will continue to have, an important role in the future success of the New South Wales economy. Higher education will be a key facilitator of this growth and success,” the Deloitte report concludes.

University of Sydney Vice Chancellor Mark Scott said he wants more students from less advanced backgrounds in Western Sydney to be able to obtain university degrees and fill the one in two new jobs that will require a bachelor’s degree or higher by 2035.

“Universities like ours, and Western Sydney University, have a critical role to play in skilling the region’s population for the jobs of the future,” he said.

“Western Sydney is well served by a high-quality tertiary education sector – but for the region to reach its full potential, we must all play our part.”

The University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark Scott. Picture: Jane Dempster

Kirsten Andrews, vice-president of external relations and engagement, said the Deloitte report has helped the uni better understand the opportunities to “prepare future generations for success” coming down the pipeline.

“Western Sydney is a vibrant and dynamic region, home to young, smart, ambitious and multicultural communities,” she said.

“A skilled and educated workforce across multiple sectors will be essential to meet the demands of a growing population.”

Heli, Janvi and Inara aspire to continue their education at university when they graduate high school. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Macarthur Girls High School students Heli Desai, Janvi Patwal and Inara Ahmed represent those aspirations, with the young girls already setting their sights on university degrees in physiology, surgical medicine and criminology respectively.

Janvi, in Year 9, said her goal of becoming a heart surgeon stems from personal experience with poor medical care – which ultimately resulted in her requiring emergency surgery – but knowing qualified health professionals are in shortage across Western Sydney “makes me even more ambitious”.

“From childhood I’ve always been really interested in the social services and helping others,” she said.

“One of my neighbours has a lung disease – their lung was about to fill with water – and his doctor told him it was just to do with stress. He needed to have an emergency operation.

“I really want to make sure that doctors are honest … and deeply connected to their patients.”

Originally published as Nurses, teachers and IT workers among highest-growth study fields in Western Sydney’s future