Transport barriers to education might be stunting the growth of local businesses and Wangaratta council is asking for feedback to assess the theory. Young people, jobseekers and adult learners are being asked to respond to an online survey about potential transport barriers in attending training, apprenticeships or further education. The initiative seeks to understand the real-world challenges faced by young people, jobseekers, and adult learners, and to identify practical, community-informed solutions. This research will help council determine if there is a need for a Workforce Mobility Program and what solutions might be worth considering and advocating for. A short survey is now open and welcomes input from students and trainees, parents or guardians of learners, training providers and educators, employers and job service providers, and anyone with insights into local transport and education access. Rural City of Wangaratta economic development manager Celeste Brockwell said the idea to investigate came after business survey results identified a need locally for a skilled workforce. The survey will help determine whether transport and mobility is an issue preventing people from working or studying. "There might be opportunities for ride shares or working with our local transport companies to organise buses or smaller shuttle services that might travel to different locations," she said. Transport services might branch beyond the borders of the rural city, as Wodonga TAFE for example has different courses that are on offer in Wangaratta. "Wodonga TAFE has courses in agriculture so it could be a need to transport people from Wodonga to work in Wangaratta and visa versa," she said. "We will be reaching out to Wodonga TAFE, as well as some of the RTOs (registered training organisations) based out of Wodonga, about what they're seeing with transport barriers." Mayor Irene Grant said they know that access to transport can be a hidden barrier to education and employment. “This project is about listening to our community and exploring whether options like ridesharing, shuttle services, or fuel vouchers could make a real difference,” she said. The survey, which closes on 31 October, takes just a few minutes and responses will inform a feasibility study due for completion by the end of 2025. Take the Survey https://connect.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/training-placement-and-transport Hard copies are available at the Government Centre Customer Service, Wangaratta Library, neighborhood houses, and training centres. For more information, contact the economic development team at economicdevelopment@wangaratta.vic.gov.au or phone (03) 5722 0888. Meanwhile, the Country Universities Centre (CUC) in Wangaratta, a facility that provides a place for tertiary students to study, is going great guns. with 130 current registrations. CUC is an area at the GOTAFE Wangaratta campus that allows students enrolled with any higher education provider to use the space and equipment. Centre manager of CUC Ovens Valley, Mark van Bergen, said the most number of students are enrolled with Charles Sturt University (CSU) and La Trobe because they are able to take on a hybrid model of a day a week on campus and the rest at the CUC site or home. "We don't actually offer any courses, we are funded to support any students and a lot are people from Wangaratta," he said. "Students can access the space from 5am to midnight seven days a week and there are dual screen computers, free printing, with NBN and wifi accessibility. "There are learning skills advisors and staff who can assist with breaking down questions, referencing, and accessing university support." The real bonus though is that there's a community of learners, and while they might be doing different courses and subjects, they're in a building with like-minded people sharing similar goals.
