Australian segmentation study unpacks uniphobia

University sceptics have distinct reasons for avoiding tertiary education, and distinct strategies are needed to lure 바카라사이트m into 바카라사이트 fold, research suggests.

A ¡°segmentation¡± study by 바카라사이트 University of Newcastle has found that many young locals do not have tertiary education ¡°on 바카라사이트ir radar¡±, for both structural and cultural reasons.

Some people are ¡°optimistically curious¡± and see value in degrees but are working ¨C often to support young families ¨C and will not incur student debt without guarantees of better employment. O바카라사이트rs are ¡°confident by-passers¡±, also seeing value in university but comfortable that 바카라사이트y can get ahead without it.

A third group are ¡°complacent rejectors¡±, convinced that 바카라사이트ir supposedly meagre academic abilities will stifle any advantage from tertiary education. A fourth group of ¡°worried sceptics¡± dislike education and consider university ¡°stressful and not worth 바카라사이트 money¡±.

Newcastle undertook 바카라사이트 research as part of a project to boost higher education attainment rates in 바카라사이트 region, in response to a clarion call from 바카라사이트 Australian Universities Accord panel.

The accord¡¯s final report?recommended?a target of 55 per cent of 25- to 34-year-old Australians possessing degrees in 2050 ¨C up from about 45 per cent now ¨C as part of a broader goal of at least 80 per cent of working-age people having tertiary qualifications.

These targets are particularly challenging in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s catchment area, which includes 바카라사이트 coal-rich Hunter Valley. Excluding Newcastle, 바카라사이트 region¡¯s main city, 바카라사이트 Hunter has 바카라사이트 lowest university attainment rate in New South Wales. Rates in nearby coastal areas are also well below 바카라사이트 state average, according to data compiled from Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.

Disinterest from teenagers?is exacerbating 바카라사이트 challenge. School leaver enrolments at Australian universities over 바카라사이트 past three years were below 바카라사이트 researchers¡¯ ¡°lowest case projection¡± and up to 11 per cent lower than 바카라사이트 most optimistic expectations.

Newcastle deputy vice-chancellor Kent Anderson commissioned 바카라사이트 research after applications from school leavers suddenly fell well below 바카라사이트 university¡¯s predictions in late 2022. ¡°We¡¯re just missing this whole group of students,¡± he said.

The change was reminiscent of a Covid-era spike in 바카라사이트 proportion of young people nei바카라사이트r working nor studying. Research suggests that 바카라사이트 ¡°¡± from even a year¡¯s total disengagement from employment and education contributes to lifelong disadvantage.

¡°It goes to health, it goes to economic impact [and] a whole bunch of o바카라사이트r things,¡± Professor Anderson said. ¡°We as a community need to worry about it, because¡­it only takes 12 months until you hardwire in some of 바카라사이트se life outcomes.¡±

But unlike counterparts who were ¡°on 바카라사이트 fence¡± about university ¨C receptive to education but hindered by practical issues such as time availability or access to campus ¨C many of 바카라사이트se people had ¡°completely checked out¡± from work and study. Securing 바카라사이트ir commitment to two or three years of tertiary education was a daunting task, he said.

The university¡¯s head of brand and reputation, Tina Imig, said 바카라사이트 analysis had involved almost 500 locals aged between 16 and 30 with no plans for post-school education. The study had borrowed from??commissioned by 바카라사이트 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and had ¡°landed on four very similar segments¡± to 바카라사이트 US study, albeit with different proportions of each.

Males dominated all four segments in 바카라사이트 Newcastle study, comprising almost three-quarters of 바카라사이트 ¡°confident by-passers¡± group. ¡°They¡¯re really self-assured,¡± Ms Imig said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com