The independent report undertaken by Cadence Economics has revealed that the vast bulk of the approximately 1,500 students who graduate from the University’s campuses in Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo, Shepparton and Mildura annually, go on to live and work in regional Victoria.
The report shows La Trobe graduates are successfully filling local jobs in the key areas of health, education and business. The report also shows that these graduates generate a further 140 jobs for non-university graduates across the regions.
It shows that, based on 2015 estimates, each and every graduate who goes on to work in regional Victoria increases Gross Regional Product (GRP) by $104,705.
La Trobe University Vice Chancellor Professor John Dewar said the University’s network of campuses was providing a vital social, economic and intellectual contribution to communities.
“We’ve always known of the benefit of La Trobe University graduates to regional Victoria, now we can put an exact dollar value on it – $99 million a year,” Professor Dewar said.
“We are proudly educating local people for local jobs in areas vital to local communities. Our graduates are also the big winners here, they are in demand with employers, graduate with the skills required by industry and quickly gain jobs in their chosen field.”
The report shows that in the 10 years since 2006 there has been a total of 14,508 graduates from La Trobe University’s regional campuses.
In that period there was an annual average of:
- 244 FTE health jobs for our graduates in areas such as nursing, pharmacy and public health
- 266 FTE teaching jobs for our graduates
- 185 FTE management and commerce jobs in areas such as business, management and accounting.
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Regional) Professor Richard Speed said La Trobe graduates are more likely to gain secure full time employment and earn higher wages than those who don’t study.
“Almost three quarters of regional graduates (72 per cent) end up working either where they studied or in another part of regional Victoria,” Professor Speed said. “On the Mildura campus that figure is as high as 87 per cent. Bendigo is 74 per cent and Shepparton it is 79 per cent. Our students from Albury-Wodonga contribute similarly on both sides of the border.
“We are very proud of the contribution our graduates are making to local communities. This report confirms that our graduates are learning then earning in regional Victoria.”
Professor Speed said La Trobe made an additional contribution to the regional Victorian economy in its own right, through the provision of teaching, research and administrative functions. A 2008 study calculated La Trobe contributed $282.6 million in direct, indirect and induced regional value.
KEY FACTS - VICTORIA
- 1455 people graduated from our regional campuses in 2015. Many (946 FTE) went on to work in regional Victoria.
- Most regional La Trobe graduate jobs are in health, education, and business and commerce.
- On average almost three quarters of regional graduates (72 per cent) each year get work either where they studied or in another part of regional Victoria.
- Every graduate who goes on to work in regional Victoria annually increases Victoria’s GRP by $104,705.
- In 2015 alone, new graduates directly boosted Victoria’s Gross Regional Product by $99 million.
- Our 946 (FTE) graduates entering the workforce created another 140 FTE jobs for those without degrees.
- The annual direct and indirect benefit La Trobe’s presence in regional Victoria is more than 1000 FTE jobs.
- Since 2006, 14,508 people have graduated from our regional campuses.
- La Trobe regional graduates are more likely to gain secure full time employment and earn higher wages than those who don’t study.
- La Trobe makes an additional contribution to the regional Victorian economy through the provision of teaching, research and administrative functions. A 2008 study calculated La Trobe contributed $282.6 million in direct, indirect and induced regional value.
- This regional contribution is in addition to the contribution to the Victorian economy by Melbourne campus graduates. A 2016 report by Oxford Economics estimated the class of 2016 graduates would make a lifetime net economic contribution of $619 million to the Australian economy.
- The unemployment rate for regional graduates is 5.7 per cent. The national unemployment rate (people aged 20-24) was 8.2 per cent and the regional unemployment rate (people paged 15-24) was 9.8 per cent.
- Regional graduates in full time employment was 70.1 per cent. National full time employment rate (people aged 20-24) was 65.5 per cent.
- 70 per cent of our regional graduates are female. 50 per cent of our regional graduates are the first person in their family to attend university.
Media Contact: Tim Mitchell– t.mitchell@latrobe.edu.au or 0437 457 780
