Regional students looking to be job-ready will benefit from the Charles Sturt University's (CSU) recent announcement that they have secured $12 million in federal government funding that will assist in subsidising student fees.
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CSU will use the funding to support an expansion of its existing short course program, providing an extra 1200 students access to the program.
CSU Acting Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Janelle Wheat, said that as a leader in online learning, the funding would help CSU meet the demand for micro-credentials in the workforce marketplace.
"This level of funding translates into approximately 1200 places available for 10 short courses which students can study online, giving them the opportunity to quickly build on their qualifications and further their careers," she said.
"The government is providing funding to support some of the delivery costs of these courses which means that the courses are much cheaper than normal for students."
The funding is part of the federal government's Jobs Ready Package, which is focused on delivering more job-ready graduates into the industries and locations where they are needed most, along with assisting in boosting the nation's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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"Students can update their qualifications while working, and courses can be completed in as little as 26 weeks," she said.
"It is the perfect time for those who are looking to upskill to do so in 2021, which is the only time the courses will be cheaper.
"They are also aligned to the specific areas that will ensure the growth of our economy following the impact of COVID, including the areas of teaching, health, science, information technology and agriculture."
The short courses are Graduate Certificates which include four subjects to be completed over a maximum over 12 months.
Prof. Wheat said the funding and cheaper fees are the perfect motivator for people to study in 2021.
"Any subjects from the 10 short courses that you start and complete in 2021 will be eligible for Commonwealth support," she said.
"If you start any subjects after 2021, or you need to extend the period of time to complete the course, these subjects will be charged at the full fee-paying rate."
Of the 10 graduate certificate courses on offer, four computing courses will be available over summer, with more to follow.
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