University students in the region are getting ready for the start of the 2021 academic year, with orientation sessions at Uni Hub Spencer Gulf commencing this week.

CEO Anita Crisp said the number of students enrolling with Uni Hub’s partner universities in locally supported courses continued to grow.

“The increase in student numbers has proven there is a strong demand in the community for locally accessible and locally supported university study,” she said.

“Around half of Uni Hub students are school-leavers, with the other half already in the workforce and looking to upgrade their qualifications or retrain for a different career path.

“Students are well supported by the Uni Hub through study centres at Port Pirie, Port Augusta and our new presence in Kadina.”

Ms Crisp explained locally supported degrees were delivered through Uni Hub’s partner universities and selected by a panel of local employers to specifically help address skilled workforce shortages in the region.

“We’ve seen a really strong uptake in Engineering, Nursing and Social Work this year, with enrolments in Business, Psychological Science, Education and Digital Media also proving popular,” she said.

Ms Crisp said the study centre facilities and face-to-face support provided at Uni Hub campuses was consistently acknowledged by students as some of the main reasons for choosing to study locally.

“Whilst academic lectures are delivered on-line by the university, students really appreciate having a local presence to help with their enrolment, navigate the university’s online study portals, provide additional tutorial support, coordinate placements and connect them with potential employers in the region,” she said.

“The Uni Hub model continues to prove its value to the community, with local access to university study, local, personalised support for our students and importantly, local jobs at the end of the degrees we offer.”

Pictured at one of the Port Augusta orientation week sessions were, (from left) Bachelor of Social Work student Amber Niha, Bachelor of Social Work student Tiffany Hood, STEPS student Emma Harrison, Port Augusta Coordinator Shanon Pillion, Port Pirie Coordinator Kim Gregory and CQU tutor and lecturer Emily Cleary.