THE BROLGA PROJECT
Overview:
This is a very simple proposal which may have far reaching benefits for participants. It is receiving widespread support from students, universities and rural-based businesses. Local Intelligence is working with the Brolga Project to identify placement opportunities in rural and regional communities and to provide resources for students and host employers.
Background:
Many Australian universities are situated in major metropolitan cities, urban areas where a high population of students have never had the opportunity to visit or live in rural and regional Australia.
Rural and Regional Australia is suffering a shortage of skilled workers, part of the phenomenon of rural drift.
Many university courses require students to do a small amount of work experience during their final years of study. Separate to credit placements, this short-term work experience is sometimes a difficulty for the student, they need to find a suitable place to work and may have to contact several local employers before finding one able to offer a short-term position.
The Brolga Project:
This project will identify university students, who have to do work experience as part of their curriculum, and strive to offer them an opportunity to do that work experience with businesses in rural and regional Australia.
The Process:
This will be facilitated by developing and maintaining a database which will link work experience students with rural and regional businesses in their field which are prepared to offer a work experience placement.
The Benefit:
The goal is that once the urban-based student has experienced life with a progressive business in rural and regional Australia there will be mutual appeal for them to return to continue their career with the regional business at the completion of their study.
Uniqueness:
For this initiative to be truly effective, it must be appealing for students, cost effective to all parties, remain unique, be nationally focused and not replicate or compete with existing student workplace or placement procedures.
Living Project:
By nature of its size, scope, simplicity and originality, there are few existing benchmarks, so this is a 'living' project subject to fine-tuning with development. Subsequently, this website outlines the considerations that have been raised and considered to date, further input is sought and encouraged.
Sound Good?
Please click here to complete an Expression Of Interest or to learn more.
