‘‘The Brolga The Brolga Project’ Project’

Building Regional

Opportunities, Leveraging from

Graduates in Australia

®®

By identifying students

needing work experience, and regional businesses1 looking for staff, The

Brolga Project links the two together in a

dynamic initiative.

There’s a huge skills shortage in rural and regional

Australia.

University students

often have to do work experience as part of

their study.

The initiative…

1. The term ‘business’ in this instance means commercial enterprises, government departments , non-profit organisations and development bodies.

Project’s Goal

To encourage young people from urban backgrounds to do their work experience with rural and regional businesses. Many students will enjoy the regional experience enough to return to the placement business at the end of their study, starting their career in a regional community.

There’s two interpretations of ‘Work Experience’: 1 – 4 weeks of usually unpaid placement 1 – 4 months of paid work (vacation work)Both interpretations are still in line with the project’s goal and support student’s

studies

Value gained...

For Businesses

Access to an enormous pool of potential employees

Opportunity to use students for short-term (nurturing/training) leading to future employment

A chance to practice current work systems against new theories

A chance to try out potential employees

Cost effective method of expansion

For Students

Easy access to work experience

An opportunity to secure a job before leaving university

A chance to analyze theory against practice

An opportunity to work with potential employers and experience the regional/rural lifestyle

Rewarding lifestyle and career development

Project’s Scope

‘Rural’ and ‘Regional’ as defined by the federal government, is almost anywhere outside the major cities and includes marine areas, regional towns and cities as well as farming and agriculture. (please click here for postcode listing)

‘Businesses’ can be regional development bodies, non-government organisations, family-owned commercial enterprises or government departments .

Over a student a day is expressing interest in the project, their studies include 40 different subject areas:

Fields of Study

Accounting Agriculture Archaeology Aviation Biomedical

Science Chemistry Community

Development Design

Management

Students from 40 different subject areas are expressing willingness to try regional life and work ~ here are

some of the study fields…

Education Engineering Environment Finance Food Science Health Human Resource Industrial Design Information

Technology Journalism Law

Literacy Marketing Media and

Communication Nursing Speech Pathology Teaching Urban/Regional

Planning Veterinary Volunteer

Business/Gov/Society

Cost effectiveness...

It’s a very simple initiative….It’s a very simple initiative….But let’s address the question that is usually the first barrier: Costs!Costs! Launched in October 2008, the project is currently

operating under the auspices of a private company. In time it’s envisaged the project will be funded by an equal mix of user-pays, government support and corporate sponsorship, reflecting demands and opportunities of the project

There is a $200 (+GST) administration fee (user-pays) for placing a student: For some businesses, that will be the extent of costs (other than normal operating expenses), but some students are going to need support. Even considering top level support, it’s still very…

Cost Effective!Cost Effective!

Supporting the students…

Paid Positions

Are for longer placements (1-4 months)

Students must be recompensed in line with all legal obligations (i.e. normal wage rates)

Offers students more chance to socialise in local community

Have less emphasis on paperwork and reporting

Evolve to more independence by the student

Unpaid Positions

Are usually for very short-term placements (1-4 weeks)

Students will still have to meet financial obligations in home city (e.g. rent) so some recompense will encourage them to travel

Travel costs may be expensive, again a contribution by host agency should be considered

May be more intensive, but also more suitable e.g. a community organisation wanting to have an IT person to set up a network

Societal and financial rewards

Businesses looking for staff are doing so to improve productivity, therefore profits.

Students too, need to earn money and of course are looking to build rewarding careers.

Rural/regional communities have the opportunity to introduce volumes of young people into their societies, many who will choose to stay and create lives for themselves in their ‘new-found’ community.

Sample opportunities…

A marketing student could be placed into an organic farming group to research new markets or revise/develop marketing plans.

An Information Technology student could volunteer/work with a local business to review a local community organisation’s computer network or address IT problems.

An accounting student could work with a family business to assist tax/accounting matters.

To be part of the project...

Businesses and students complete Expressions of Interest (EOIs) online, through handouts or by contacting us (your details are safe, we don’t on-sell them or provide them to outside parties)

What happens then: EOIs have similar questions for both parties; where

there’s a match, we ask both parties if they are interested in finding out more about each other.

If they say “Yes” we host a teleconference and if both parties stand to benefit, we facilitate a placement.

Most students are looking for placements during the mid-year and end of year breaks, it can take some time from lodging an EOI to placement.

Contact us

The Brolga Project…

Is offering enormous reward to all participants.

Please don’t hesitate to email info@brolgaproject.com.au for more information or call (07) 3366 1005 or visit our website www.brolgaproject.com.au

“The Brolga Project – Building Regional

Opportunities, Leveraging from

Graduates in Australia”THANK YOU!

___________________________________________________________________________________ Willray Pty Ltd (ABN 180 7575 5118) trading as The Brolga Project, PO Box 219, Ashgrove QLD 4060