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Introduction

Contents PAGE 1......... ....Contents PAGE 2......... ....Issue & Background PAGE 3...............Stakeholders PAGE 4&5.........Causes PAGE 6.............Recommendations PAGE 7&8..........References BRIEFING PAPER ISSUE: This briefing is in relation to the Inquiry into Skills Shortages in Rural and Regional NSW. This paper will outline the problems around the methods used by training organisations including TAFE to assess skill needs in rural and regional NSW and their response. This paper will also look into what the causes of these problems are, who are the stakeholders and how are they affected and recommendations on solutions. BACKGROUND: The communities of rural and regional areas recognise that the supply of skilled tradespersons in their communities does not meet the current demand and that skill shortages are projected to increase. 2In the context of the Riverina Institute Griffith is a medium sized campus that has demonstrated significant and sustainable growth over the past five years. Over the past 6 years the campus has experienced a significant increase in facilities and a concomitant increase in full time and part time teaching staff. To address the growing demand for skilled and well trained staff in the region Griffith campus has consistently amended its course offerings and has, on many occasions, provided extra courses to meet unexpected demand particularly in the trade areas. ...read more.

Middle

4For example Peter Louis & Co submission highlights that withdrawal and reduction of services provided by government agencies and public corporations such as medical services, banking facilities and post offices has impacted on rural communities with people forced to relocate. This is a valid argument as people will would to live in areas that have necessities such as medical centers and post offices easily available. Not only will people leave an area to get closer to these facilities but also people will not even bother moving to a rural area if it is lacking of such facilities. This also states that the campus of tafe in Illawarra confirmed that whilst TAFE provided many course not all of them were specific to the area. 4Also the tafe kept no record of students who completed and whether they stayed or left the area. This causes the problem of not allowing statistics to be examined to get an accurate understanding of the educational needs in rural areas. This also is an extremely good point and the basis of a strange argument. How can the tafe possibly know to what extent its passing students are having on the rural community if they keep no record of what the students achieve after accomplishing their education? ...read more.

Conclusion

Contracts will keep people in the area and as the business grows more jobs become available. Which leads to people moving to the area specifically for work. Encourage training organizations like the Charles Sturt University and Tafe's to develop seminars and spend time to educate businesses within rural areas to adopt new business practices, Governments should make sure that rural areas have all the facilities required to encourage population growth in that area. Facilities such as medical centers, post offices and schools, should be located in all rural towns. Government should place more funding into Traineeships. 1Traineeships are ideal for employers who have a specific need for one Trainee in a given area. Traineeships can be offered/conducted in a variety of ways with the main option taken by employers being an 'On the Job" Traineeship. By providing Funding to Tafe institutions and providing employer incentives to business's that provide traineeships to unskilled workers will be a major step in reducing the current problem of unskilled workers. 6Another recommendation would be the implementation of more courses done through distance correspondence. This allows students in rural areas to do courses from home. Thus distance would no longer be a barrier in the prevention of education for skilled workers. However for the on the job training the Government should allocate funds to areas in desperate need to provide frequent transport to further encourage people to do studies. ...read more.

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