Tasmanian Business Reporter November 2018

4 Tasmanian Business Reporter - NOVEMBER 2018
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
North West Coast
underpins economy
Paul
Arnold
TCCI Vice Chairman
THE Tasmanian Economy
has enjoyed a sustained
period of positivity.
The North-West economy
has suffered its fair
share of knocks over the
past decade but continues
to show its amazing resilience.
International commodity
pricing has taken its
toll on mining and agricultural
returns over the
past decade, but as we
head for 2019, we are
again on the cusp of very
bright economic times.
Our significant competitive
advantages include:
• quality of the minerals
in our ground;
• quality of our food
production systems, particularly
our rich soils;
• our depth of industry
sectors, from aquaculture,
forestry, tourism,
cropping, beef and dairy;
• the innovation of our
advanced manufacturing
sector; and
• the strength of our
communities and their
resultant workforce –
and the list goes on.
The North West does
some heavy lifting for
our State Domestic Product,
as most of our contribution
comes from primary
industry.
It has often been said
that if we cut off the
North West 64 telephone
district, the rest of Tasmania’s
living standards
would drop sharply.
Most of our sectors
abound with confidence
and the future is very
bright indeed.
Each area that we
think about, from mining
start-ups or re-starts,
manufacturing, dairying,
beef, cropping, aquaculture,
tourism, and wind
farms, all share one thing
in common – the need for
a more available and engaged
workforce.
Every sector will be
crying out for hundreds
of new employees in
just a few short years,
and our biggest threat
is that we are ill prepared
for what is coming.
Our population will
prove inadequate for the
jobs that are available,
our people will be insufficiently
trained for the
plethora of jobs coming,
and our towns will not
have sufficient housing
for what is on the horizon.
One might say these
are good problems to
have, but the corollary
of that is that opportunities
will be lost forever.
What is needed shortterm
is a serious plan to
address all of the training
and skills deficits,
lack of people and engaged
political leadership.
The TCCI has been
focussing on a range of
high-level strategic issues
impacting Tasmania.
The annual Tasmania
Report is a signature
document that provides a
clear focus on what is improving,
what is lacking
and options to improve
our collective future.
The next edition is imminent.
The TCCI Board is
currently focussed on
five key priorities for
the Tasmanian Economy,
for the short-term,
medium-term and longer-term.
Once determined,
these will become key
pillars of advocacy in
coming months.
We welcome your input.
Paul Arnold is TCCI
North West Director.
www.tcci.com.au
Associate degrees
offer career growth
LeeWhiteley
University College
Chief Executive
WHEN developing
the range of University
College associate
degrees, one of our
objectives was to provide
opportunities for
people already in the
workforce to up-skill
and gain a formal qualification.
We have been able
to achieve this by providing
students with
practical and relevant
study experiences,
with the ability to undertake
subject assessment
in the workplace.
In doing so, students
have been able
to apply their learning
directly to the workplace
while they study,
allowing them to put
what they have studied
into practice right
away.
This has enormous
benefit both for the
student and the employer.
As such, we have
found that many businesses
from different
sectors have come to
us looking for opportunities
to support
their staff into study.
One such example
of this is our student,
James Johnston, who
is studying our Supply
Chain Management
specialisation
and currently working
full time as a Storeman
at the Kingborough
Council.
James has been supported
by his workplace
throughout his
studies, as his manager
is able to appreciate
the long-term benefit
for the Council.
The flexible delivery
of the course has
also made it possible
for James to continue
working full time
while completing his
studies.
Another way that
we have been able to
ensure our associate
degrees are relevant to
those in the workforce
is through regular engagement
with industry.
We do this by developing
our courses
with industry experts
and actively involving
them in the course delivery.
This is done in a
range of ways including
workshops, industry
placements and real-world
case studies.
With applications
open for 2019, now
is the time to get in
touch with our team
to talk about study
options for you or
your staff. Visit utas.
edu.au/college, call
us on 1300 363 864 or
email us on Course.
Info@utas.edu.au.
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