3.2 Regions and Prospects

Human capital is a significant contributor to regional development through skills, training, regional resilience and having a capable workforce. This section examines the human capacity of the South West and opportunities to strengthen the region’s capability as an input to business competitiveness and overall quality of regional life.

The knowledge and skills of workers available in the labour supply is a key determinant for both business and economic growth. Those with higher education and training earn higher wages and contribute more to the economy through spillover spending (Radcliffe 2020).

The region features Western Australia’s largest non-metro TAFE with six campuses in the region, while Edith Cowan University (ECU) South West, Bunbury is the largest regional campus in WA. ECU has more than 30,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, including international students from 100 countries.

ECU South West features recognised research partnerships, study hubs and learning centres (Busselton and Collie), offering a comprehensive range of courses in arts, commerce, science, environmental health, health science, nursing, midwifery, social work and teacher education.

ECU has established the University Department of Rural Health South West. This is an academic centre which focuses on health education, research and workforce strategies to support the recruitment and retention of health professionals in the region. The initiative offers medical, nursing and midwifery and allied health students practicum placements to boost rural primary care workforce and give students a taste of rural-regional work.

In addition to the courses offered by South Regional TAFE, there are numerous Registered Training Organisations supporting the public sector and meeting the needs in the area of apprenticeships and traineeships.

Data from the last decade shows increasing levels of educational achievement, although the South West still lags behind Greater Perth: 4.2% studying toward a bachelor or higher degree versus 1.6% in the South West (2021). The disparity may be due to the cost of education for regional students having to fund accommodation in the city, and the greater mobility of highly educated people.

The number of people undertaking tertiary training is increasing and more of the workforce now holds postschool qualifications with growth recorded in both VET and higher education qualifications.

With increasing technical knowledge required in roles that were once unskilled, it is vital that levels of higher educational continue to progress.

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