NRSET Recommendation 3: Graduating More Engineers and Geoscientists

Recommendation 3.1 – Ties between universities and the resources and construction industries to be formalised and strengthened

This initiative is being led by Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE).

The introduction of a more flexible, demand driven funding system in 2012 will enhance the higher education sector’s ability to respond to the need for an increasingly skilled Australian workforce. Ongoing discussions between industry and higher education providers will help align course delivery profiles with skills needs. The Minerals Tertiary Education Council will help to develop university partnerships with industry. DIISRTE finalised strategic missions and student enrolment targets in November 2011.

On 30 April 2012, the government announced impressive growth in universities offering places in professions that mirror the demand for high skilled jobs we know are needed today and into the future.

Minister for Tertiary Education, Senator Chris Evans, released a report that shows the Gillard Government's reforms of higher education resulted in 150 000 additional university students.

The report The Demand Driven System: Undergraduate Applications and Offers shows that this year, more than 221,765 offers were made, an increase of 5.5 per cent compared with the same time in 2011.

The largest growth in university offers is being seen in health (10.2%), engineering (7.8%) and natural and physical sciences (7.0%).

The Government set the ambitious target that by 2020, 40 per cent of all 25 to 34-year-olds will hold a bachelor's degree or above and lift the participation levels of disadvantaged students to 20 per cent of undergraduate enrolments.

Recommendation 3.2 – Structured, work-integrated learning opportunities for all first and second-year engineering students

This initiative is being led by the Minerals Council of Australia(MCA) and the Australian Council of Engineering Deans (ACED).

MCA will work with industry and tertiary education providers to promote associate degrees for para-professional roles and three-year engineering technologist degrees for the minerals industry.  ACED will liaise with universities and industry peak bodies to develop a strategy for increasing the industry authenticity of engineering degrees, including a possible trial of interdisciplinary group project work for second year engineering students in the second semester 2012.