UA Chair Professor David Lloyd's NPC address next week, UA Accord workshop: Latest rundown of higher education
Our Chief Executive Catriona Jackson 's message
Much of our attention this week has been focused on preparing for next week’s events in Canberra. We have a stacked schedule, starting on Wednesday with UA Chair Professor David Lloyd ’s first address to the National Press Club.
David will use the platform to remind government, industry and all Australians of the immeasurable impact our universities have on the nation and of our critical role in helping Australia remain strong, safe and successful in the coming decades – through research and educating skilled workers.
To that end, we need to be fully supported in performing our job for the nation. David will make a strong and compelling case to government on our behalf – at what is a pivotal point in the development of the Australian Universities Accord.
Plenary on Wednesday afternoon will allow us to discuss a range of important matters in addition to UA updating members on our busy work program.
Our Accord workshop on Thursday is an opportunity as a sector to establish our priorities across the very broad sweep of considerations and ideas contained in the interim report. We will hear from both Minister Clare and Professor O’Kane on the day, and I’m looking forward to hearing your views on how we can, working together, shape the future direction of our sector.
In preparation for the workshop, UA has circulated a short survey to gauge members’ views on what are the highest priority matters, and whether there are any substantial matters missing from the interim report. This is the first step in our process to identify our priorities and focus as we move into the second half of the Accord process. Your feedback has been greatly appreciated.
This week, we saw the government move swiftly toward implementing some of the priority actions announced through the interim report.
The legislation introduced to Parliament this week removes the 50 per cent pass rule under the Job-ready Graduates package and delivers uncapped places for all Indigenous Australians. These are measures that will better enable us to support our students and continue educating skilled and talented people to meet Australia’s workforce needs.
The legislation also included some additional accountability and reporting mechanisms. UA has signalled, clearly, concern about additional regulatory burden. We have secured a commitment that the sector will be closely engaged in the design and implementation of this and other non-legislative changes.
Meeting Australia’s workforce needs is a shared responsibility between universities and vocational education and training providers. I had the opportunity to discuss this on Thursday at a meeting with Skills and Training Minister Brendan O'Connor .
Minister O’Connor has previously spoken enthusiastically about the need for education providers to join with industry to deliver the skilled workforce and research Australia requires to succeed in meeting national priorities, and he again echoed this sentiment on Thursday.
I’ll leave it there today. I look forward to seeing most of you in Canberra next week for a big couple of days.
Until next time,
Catriona Jackson
Chief Executive, Universities Australia
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UPDATE FROM THE CHIEF ECONOMIST
A lack of highly skilled, university-educated workers is continuing to plague Australia’s labour market. By mid-2022, internet vacancies for jobs requiring a university degree had risen to more than 50 per cent above their 2019 level, where they have remained. Meanwhile, shortages in professions that don’t require a university qualification are easing as Australia’s migration patterns return to normal following the pandemic.
Some young Australians are choosing to take advantage of the strong labour market and are entering the workforce straight out of school rather than attending university. In this environment, universities continue to develop and grow flexible study options to attract individuals who may be looking to balance work with study.
Demand for trade apprentices appears to have materially weakened. Trade apprenticeship commencements were the highest on record in the year ending June 2022, but had dropped back to more normal levels by the end of 2022. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research notes this sharp decline coincides with the end of the Boosting Apprenticeships Commencements scheme in June 2022.
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The UA media team continues to underpin the delivery of policy initiatives with strategic media and communications engagement activities. Our activity over the last fortnight has generated 535 media items with a potential audience reach of 15.7 million people across online, print, radio and television platforms.
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