3.2 Regions and Prospects

Human capital is a significant contributor to regional development through skills, training, regional resilience and having a capable workforce. This section examines the human capacity of the South West and opportunities to strengthen the region’s capability as an input to business competitiveness and overall quality of regional life.

The knowledge and skills of workers available in the labour supply is a key determinant for both business and economic growth. Those with higher education and training earn higher wages and contribute more to the economy through spill over spending (Radcliffe 2020).

The region features Western Australia’s largest non-metro TAFE with six campuses in the region, while Edith Cowan University (ECU) South West, Bunbury is the largest  regional campus in WA. ECU has more than 30,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, including international students from 100 countries.

ECU South West features recognised research partnerships, study hubs and learning centres throughout the region, offering a comprehensive range of courses in  arts, commerce, science, environmental health, health science, nursing,  midwifery, social work and teacher education.

ECU South West also delivers the WA Creative Tech Innovation Hub – WA Creative Tech Village in Bunbury and is establishing the South West University Department of  Rural Health. This will offer medical, nursing and midwifery and allied  health students practicum placements throughout the region to boost rural  primary care workforce, improve health outcomes and give students a taste of  rural-regional work.

In addition to the courses offered by South Regional TAFE, there are numerous Registered Training Organisations supporting the public sector and meeting the needs in  the area of apprenticeships and traineeships.

Data from the last decade shows increasing levels of educational achievement, although the South West still lags behind Greater Perth: 4.2% working toward a bachelor or higher degree versus 1.6% in the South West (2021). The disparity may be due to the cost of education for regional students having to fund accommodation  in the city, and the greater mobility of highly educated people.

The number of people undertaking tertiary training is increasing and more of the workforce now holds postschool qualifications with growth recorded in both VET and higher education qualifications.

With increasing technical knowledge required in roles that were once unskilled, it is vital that levels of higher educational continue to progress.