ADVERTORIAL
Did you know that despite being home to a number of high-quality public and private schools, as well as Alexandra Hills’ popular TAFE campus, statistics show Redlands youth are often forced to leave the region due to the lack of options available locally to them and are therefore less likely to further their education or training than those in Brisbane?
As the largest city in SEQ without a university, the Redlands Coast’s local connected business community is championing the need for a tertiary presence. By securing new tertiary and training options for the Redlands Coast, we will further enhance our reputation as a dynamic and competitive destination for investment and skilled workers.
One of the ways that the business community has been busy making this happen is through the Redland Regional Jobs Committee (RJC). The RJC works hard to create more jobs, improve training pathways, drive economic activity and attract investment. An RJC in the Redlands has been a massive benefit for our region, with local industry experts steering and driving the ongoing employment, skilling and pathways of our youth diversification.
At the 2021 Redlands Coast’s Youth Future’s Forum, we heard from RJC Committee member Grace Tobin, a Redlands resident and recent school leaver. Grace shared that she felt the full effect of the lack of a tertiary presence on the Redlands Coast. “After leaving school I … studied a diploma of business and leadership management. It was really challenging knowing I had to travel over an hour to get to and from university and that it was going to take up a large portion of my day, I potentially wouldn’t be able to work on the same days I had university just because of the travel time.”
A large number of young people in the Redlands have a similar story to Grace when it comes to accessing higher education.
In order to support a the needs of the Redlands Coast; the local business community, through an initiative of the Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce; Champion Redlands Coast (originally birthed from the RJC itself as a priority need), is currently actioning five main working groups that are tackling the barriers for investment and working to drive a collaborative approach to investment growth and attraction. One of these includes a tertiary presence here in Redlands.
