Studying interstate and the impact on skill shortages

We know, and accept, that Tasmania is the oldest state in Australia, that we are ageing at a faster rate than any other state and that there are more people exiting the workforce than entering it. We know, and accept, that the ageing of the state is due to longer life expectancies, migration and, until recently, loss of people in the working age groups and thus reproductive age groups. Tasmania recently surpassed the Northern Territory for the highest birth rate and we are now producing children at a greater rate than the replacement rate (2.1 births per woman). This could be due to a number of reasons, all of which we are unable to detail here. However, one reason may be that, encouragingly, Tasmania is closing the gap on interstate migration losses to other states.

In 2002/03, Tasmania reverted from ongoing annual net losses in interstate migration, to a gain. Since then, apart from 2006/07, Tasmania has been welcoming more people to our state than fare welling. However, hidden in these numbers has been that we had continued to lose more people than we gained in the working age groups. This loss has now been contained to the 15 to 29 year old age group for the past three years.

Interstate movements are recorded and reported by Medicare, therefore we can not ascertain the specific reasons for this age group leaving the state. However, anecdotal evidence and a process of elimination would indicate the following reasons could be significant contributors:

• Employment opportunities
• Travel
• ‘greener pastures’
• Relocating with family/friends
• Study

Many post-school and tertiary education courses are not provided in Tasmania, in particular allied health professions. Below is a true example of a young Tasmanian’s experience in having to study interstate.

Case Study: Anna completed year 12 in Hobart in 1996. With a desire to become a physiotherapist, but realising she could not study in Tasmania, Anna was successful in being awarded a $20,000 per year scholarship by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) to study interstate. Anna was accepted to the University of NSW. Wanting to live and work in Tasmania when she completed her studies, Anna would contact the DHHS seeking placements in Tasmania for all of her rounds. She was advised that this was not possible as they had an existing arrangement with the University of Adelaide. Upon completion of her qualification, Anna still wished to return to Tasmania and applied for positions in Hobart, Launceston and the North West. Following up with the DHHS after being unsuccessful, she was advised that while her grades were good, they were not as good as other applicants. Anna worked interstate as a physio for a number of years before recently returning to Hobart, with her husband, but is no longer working as a Physiotherapist.

Conclusion: Given the age structure of our population and the rate of ageing, demand for occupations in the allied health professions will increase significantly, in a short time period. Regardless of whether or not our young people receive a scholarship to study interstate, we should be ensuring that there is a process in place to provide placement training and employment opportunities to Tasmanians wishing to return home.

Importantly, any strategy should not be limited to those in the allied health professions, but any occupation where education and/or training is not provided here.

Skill shortages on a personal note

I have been making a noise about skill shortages in Tasmania since 2004, but now it has gotten personal. My son Rory was born with a cleft palate and conductive hearing loss. At six months he was supposed to have surgery to repair the cleft and insert grommets to (hopefully) fix his hearing, not only did we ‘slip through the cracks’ once, but we had the surgery cancelled 20 minutes before scheduled due to staff shortages and not enough skilled nursing staff to provide the level of care he would need post-op. Further investigation revealed that the Royal Hobart Hospital is incredibly short of paediatric intensifists with almost 100% turnover. Since Rory was born he has seen, many ongoing, a paediatrician, sonographer, audiologist, plastic surgeon, ear nose and throat surgeon, osteopath, physiotherapist, speech pathologist, orthotist, radiographer, GP and clinic health nurse. The majority of these occupations are not educated in Tasmania and I am indescribably thankful that these wonderfully professional people have all chosen to live and work in Tasmania. Rory has since had his surgery, and four weeks in things are looking up.