Addressing Skills Shortages Through Higher Education

Building Local Skills for a Stronger Regional Future

Priority: Establish a Regional University Study Hub to increase higher education participation and build the skilled workforce the region needs.

The future workforce of the Charters Towers Region is being shaped by a simple reality: many residents must leave the Region to access higher education, and too many do not return.

Building local study pathways is essential to retaining talent, attracting families and supporting long-term economic growth.

A skilled workforce is essential to economic growth, business investment, service delivery and community wellbeing. Yet limited access to higher education continues to restrict opportunities for local residents and contributes to workforce shortages across critical industries.

Greater access to university and tertiary education would help local residents gain qualifications, strengthen workforce participation and create a pipeline of skilled workers for industries that are vital to the Region's future.

A Regional Challenge

The nearest university campus is roughly 130 kilometres away, a genuine barrier for residents juggling work, family or financial commitments. With unemployment sitting at 6.5 per cent, strengthening the pathway into higher education, training and skilled work matters more than ever.

An Education Gap

The numbers tell a clear story. Just 10.2 per cent of residents aged 15 and over hold a bachelor degree or higher, against 21.9 per cent across Queensland. At the 2021 Census, only 3.4 per cent of residents were studying at university or another higher education institution, compared with 14.2 per cent statewide.

That gap limits opportunities for residents while reducing the supply of skilled workers available to local employers and essential services.

Supporting Local Workforce Needs

Local industries are already feeling the shortage. Better access to tertiary education would strengthen the pipeline into:

  • Healthcare and aged care
  • Education and training
  • Community services
  • Agriculture and agribusiness
  • Mining and resources
  • Engineering and trades
  • Business and professional services
  • Government and public administration

Studying locally also increases the likelihood that graduates will stay in the Region, helping to address workforce shortages and retain valuable skills within the community.

Removing Barriers to Study

Money is often the deciding factor. The Queensland Government's 2025 Next Step Report found the most common reason female Year 12 completers weren't pursuing further study was that they were working to finance future study (23.8 per cent).

For regional students, relocation, accommodation, transport and living costs can put university out of reach entirely. A local study hub would remove much of that burden, letting students stay connected to family, community and work while they study.

Meeting the Needs of Mature-Age Students

Higher education isn't just for school leavers. At the 2021 Census, 54 per cent of local tertiary students were over 25, many studying part-time while working and raising families.

A local study hub with reliable technology, high-speed internet, academic support and connections to university providers, would give these learners a real chance at flexible, locally accessible study.

Benefits of a Local Study Hub

A higher education hub in Charters Towers would:

  • Increase access to university and tertiary study.
  • Reduce the need to relocate.
  • Lower the financial barriers to study.
  • Support mature-age, part-time and distance students.
  • Lift educational attainment across the Region.
  • Help address workforce shortages in critical industries.
  • Strengthen pathways from school to training to employment.
  • Keep young people and skilled workers in the community.
  • Support economic growth and regional development.
  • Encourage lifelong learning.
Advocacy Priority

Improving access to higher education is one of the most effective investments that can be made in the Region's long-term prosperity.

A dedicated study hub would reduce barriers to participation, support mature-age and distance learners, improve educational attainment, address workforce shortages and help retain young people and skilled workers within the Charters Towers Region. By enabling more residents to study closer to home, the Region can build the workforce required to support future economic growth and community development.

More information

CTRC Media Release - Government rejects uni hub bid for Charters Towers

CTRC website - Charters Towers Country University Centre

CTRC Media Release - Queensland Premier welcomed to Charters Towers

NQ Register - Government rejects uni help hub for Charters Towers amid cost of living woes

 

 

 

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