What can I do to assist my students to engage with issues affecting rural and regional Victoria?
Regional priorities
Where appropriate, encourage Deakin graduates to work in professional fields that are in a position to respond to the priorities of regional Victoria, despite the fact that such graduates may live and work in one of Victoria’s major cities. Such fields include dairy, forestry, biotechnology, innovation, tourism, sustainable development and water technology industries (Source: Victorian Government, Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (2005) Moving Forward in Provincial Victoria).
Further information on Victorian regional priority areas is available at:
http://www.business.vic.gov.au/BUSVIC/STANDARD/PC_61466.html
The Victorian Government has developed a long-term, state-wide blueprint for the future of liveable, productive and sustainable communities in rural and regional Victoria. The Regional Blueprint - Ready for Tomorrow contains five strategies to drive long-term benefits for regional Victorians. It is available at:
Each strategy includes a suite of actions, including initiatives to help grow regional industries and create jobs; programs to build the skills of the regional workforce through better education and training opportunities for young people; new investment in vital regional infrastructure; and specific support to preserve the culture and amenity of the small towns that give regional Victoria much of its distinctive character.
Strategy 1: Investing in skills and young people
Strategy 2: Backing jobs and industry
Strategy 3: Building infrastructure, connecting communities
Strategy 4: Supporting the regional and rural way of life
Strategy 5: Planning better regions – a new partnership
Ready for Tomorrow also sets out a new framework and process for Regional Strategic Planning.
Regional Development Victoria (RDV) conducts research, develops and implements policy and analyses issues that affect economic and community development in rural and regional Victoria. Information about trends in jobs and population (2005) is available as a pdf file from:
http://www.business.vic.gov.au/BUSVIC/STANDARD/1001/PC_51020.html
