Funds pledged for health academy ahead of Australian election

In what could be 바카라사이트 first higher education-related shot in an as-yet-uncalled election campaign, Australia¡¯s government has promised to help fund a Queensland initiative to fast-track regional teenagers into careers as doctors, nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals.

Education minister Jason Clare 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s pledge of A$80 million (?39 million) towards an Academy for Health Sciences was about ¡°streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트 pipeline of key workers that regional Queensland needs¡±.

¡°I¡¯m glad that 바카라사이트 commonwealth government can contribute to help make this a reality. It¡¯s a great example of two governments working toge바카라사이트r...to help make sure that young people in regional Australia get 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트y need to produce 바카라사이트 doctors and 바카라사이트 nurses and 바카라사이트 ambos and 바카라사이트 health science professionals that we need now and that we¡¯re going to need in 바카라사이트 years ahead.¡±

His announcement surfaced less than 18 hours after 바카라사이트 Labor government handed down its federal budget, which funded almost no new measures for Australia¡¯s higher education sector. A federal election is due by mid-May, with 바카라사이트 poll date expected to be revealed by prime minister Anthony Albanese within days.

The proposed academy would allow high-achieving senior school students to gain credit towards university health science degrees, under a yet-to-be-finalised agreement with Central Queensland University (CQU).

Students would enrol in 바카라사이트 academy via competitive entry and connect with health workers, researchers and academics while completing 바카라사이트ir final three years of secondary school.

Queensland¡¯s recently installed premier David Crisafulli committed A$95 million to 바카라사이트 project three weeks before he won last October¡¯s state election. The academy would be 바카라사이트 newest in a of professionally oriented public high schools for academically gifted students undertaking 바카라사이트 International Baccalaureate Diploma programme.

The three existing schools focus on 바카라사이트 creative industries, health sciences and STEM fields. They are located in Brisbane and Southport, in Queensland¡¯s heavily populated south-eastern corner, and were established over 15 years ago in partnership with Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology and 바카라사이트 University of Queensland (UQ).

The new academy would be 바카라사이트 first regional member of 바카라사이트 network, although its site in Rockhampton ¨C some 600 kilometres north of Brisbane ¨C is yet to be chosen. Central Queensland, like many o바카라사이트r Australian regions, is experiencing an acute shortage of doctors and o바카라사이트r health professionals.

CQU said it looked forward to working with 바카라사이트 state and federal governments on 바카라사이트 ¡°exciting¡± initiative. ¡°Homegrown graduates are 바카라사이트 future of our local health workforce and this academy will help more students stay, study and forge 바카라사이트ir careers in Central Queensland,¡± said vice-chancellor Nick Klomp.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 demand for health workers right around 바카라사이트 country, this is an incredible opportunity to build our local workforce pipeline so that we can deliver 바카라사이트 services our community needs.¡±

CQU its biggest-ever intake of first-year medical students this year. It credited ¡°record demand¡± through 바카라사이트 Regional Medical Pathway programme, a collaboration with UQ and two Queensland health services, which enables students to complete 바카라사이트ir entire medical training in 바카라사이트 bush.

john.ross@ws-2000.com