Getting skills and training

A strong local economy relies on a skilled workforce with easy ways for people to gain and share skills. Rural communities face the challenges of:

• accessing training in relatively remote locations
• attracting and retaining professionals
• competing for skilled workers with the minerals boom
• adapting to the ‘knowledge economy’ which is largely based in cities or large regional centres.

Increasingly, people need to have accredited training — training that has been established as being of a nationally accepted standard. This training is offered by formal education providers such as TAFE and by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). While gaining formal qualifications is important, it is also valuable for communities to recognise the existing, often informal, skills of community members.

Some things that you can do to support the growth of skills and access to training in your community include:

• Making it easy for people to access learning assets such as libraries, museums and community organisations
• Developing community links with your regional university
• Ensuring good local publicity about training opportunities
• Fostering links with vocational education and training providers
• Helping people to improve their skills in information and communication technology such as the internet
• Exploring ways for people to share skills, such as young people familiarising older residents in using the internet
• Enhancing community links with schools, TAFE, universities and other training providers
• Liaising with employers and having a good idea of what skills are needed and are likely to be required in your community in the future
• Promoting distance education
• Promoting the advantages of the community for professionals and help skilled workers link with their professional networks.

Extra resources

More information can be found at:

• TAFE Queensland
• Learning Network Queensland
• Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council
• Job network
• Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts
• Commonwealth Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
• Adult Learning Australia
• Organisations such as the Institute for Sustainable Regional Development at Central Queensland University often work closely with communities in their area — for example, a study focusing on the social and economic challenges facing Moranbah.