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MEDIA RELEASE: CAPA says ‘Job-ready graduates to power economic recovery must be supported’

22 Jun 20

CAPA says ‘Job-ready graduates to power economic recovery must be supported’ 

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) welcomes commitment from the government, to produce more ‘job-ready’ graduates, by supporting the delivery of an educated and highly-skilled workforce in areas of teaching, nursing, agriculture, STEM and IT. 

The lack of jobs for recent graduates is a cause for concern, as highlighted by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Allen Finkle in a Rapid Research Information Forum report. “So, it would be encouraging to see students in successful careers, for which they studied”, said CAPA’s National President Romana Begicevic.

“Career opportunities for postgraduate students are going to drive post-pandemic economic recovery, and doing this through greater collaboration with industry partnerships, was a key element in CAPA’s submission to the COVID-19 select committee”, explains Ms Begicevic. 

However, the nature of work and science is constantly changing and we need graduates from all fields of study who can shape this change and respond to it appropriately. “Raising the cost of domestic student contribution rates for Law, Commerce and Humanities units is nothing short of disappointing and CAPA strongly opposes increased financial barriers on studies”, says Ms Begicevic.

Metrics of the National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund to reward formal research partnerships with industries and advanced apprenticeships sound interesting, however Ms Begicevic cautions, “the government must appropriately manage and allocate these funds, and to have enough flexibility within the new metrics to recognise the important and necessary diversity of these activities”.  

The silence on sustainable funding for research and research training is concerning, as it indicates it will receive no additional financial support, and may even lose out in real terms. 

CAPA will continue to campaign to the government for a funding boost, to postgraduate research students, whose studies have been impacted by COVID-19 and for an investment into the growing demand for research in Australia across the breadth of human knowledge.  

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For comment:
CAPA National President Romana-Rea Begicevic
M: 0420 258 404
E: president@capa.edu.au