Outcomes

This project is significant in piloting a platforms-based solution to the national issue of critical skills shortages in the resources and associated manufacturing industries, particularly in rural and regional Australia where many of these industries are located. Through knowledge partnering across VET, HE providers and industry, the platform creates a vehicle to efficiently utilise and share resources and broaden access and pathways to engineering skills. The outcome is a better and more efficient utilisation of scarce HE resources and creates a viable and sustainable competitive delivery model.

The LPE improves access, choice, industry relevance and retention generating economic and social benefits through a better skilled and stable workforce in regional areas.

The LPE supports industry and fosters a broader engagement with, and valuing of, continuing engineering education. This in turn, builds student confidence and participation in higher education with a concomitant flow-on effect within the community around the importance of lifelong learning (our experience shows that if the conversation is not happening in the home, then it needs to be generated across the community) (Allison, 2010).

These outcomes align closely with national priorities for regional Australia, including participation in HE, industry development in regional Australia and generating maximum benefit from Australia’s resources.