ECEC key to attracting talent to regional areas, Australia’s chief scientist says

Freya Lucas

Sep 16, 2022

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Regional Australia has a core role to play in supporting the nation’s ambitions to expand sectors like biotechnology, clean energy, agriculture, defence and the space industry, Australia’s chief scientist Dr Cathy Foley has said, but this won’t happen without “accessible quality childcare” to keep women in science and technology spaces.

Her comments were made in an address to the Regional Australia Institute's (RAI) national summit in Canberra recently, during which she described regional University campuses and quality early childhood education and care options as "honey pots" that will attract skilled workers.

A recent report by RAI set a target of 11 million people living prosperously outside the capital cities by 2032, a key goal announced as part of the Regionalisation Ambition 2032 plan, which the RAI launched at the National Summit.

Achieving this target, one of twenty outlined in the report under five key pillars, will see an extra 500,000 people living in the regions, above the estimated prediction of 10.5 million.Economic modelling commissioned by the RAI shows when regional Australia reaches 11 million people, national output will reach $2.3 trillion by 2032.

One of the core targets outlined in the report is to halve the regional population classified as living in a childcare desert (to below 2 million).

Building on Dr Foley’s comments Jennifer Westacott, chief executive of the Business Council of Australia, said regional areas deserve "first dibs" in new models of early education to build the evolving workforce.

"It will be very difficult to get the jobs of the future if children don't get those digital competencies," she said.

To learn more about the work of the Institute, see here. Access the Regionalisation Ambition 2032 plan here.

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