Mid-year student enrolments hit all-time high

Education providers across the Sunshine Coast are celebrating a boom in mid-year intakes for 2016 with more than 6000 new students commencing study in the past few weeks across the University of the Sunshine Coast, TAFE Queensland East Coast and Lexis English.

The University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) recently welcomed 2000 new students, including 500 from international countries, to its semester two Orientation Week, known to students as O-Week. Some of the new international students even stepped straight off the plane to immerse themselves in university life on the Sunshine Coast.

Pro-Vice Chancellor (Students) Professor Karen Nelson said O- Week played a key role in familiarising students with the University of the Sunshine Coast campus and community.

“Orientation Week allows students to learn skills to help them successfully transition to university study, meet other students and academic staff, and find out about the community, social and sporting opportunities that USC offers,” Professor Nelson said.

The University of the Sunshine Coast offered mid-year entry in almost 90 undergraduate and postgraduate study programs at its main campus at Sippy Downs, including Creative Industries, Design, Engineering, Health and Humanities.

Study Sunshine Coast Student Ambassador Amanda Fiedler, who recently completed a Diploma of Photo Imaging at TAFE Queensland East Coast, is excited to be starting her first semester at the University of the Sunshine Coast studying a degree in Creative Industries.

“I love studying and it’s fantastic for students like myself to have access to great courses and education choices here on the Sunshine Coast that have flexible study intake options,” Ms Fiedler said.

This is an exciting time for education on the Sunshine Coast, as many education providers experience a profound growth in mid-year enrolments.

TAFE Queensland East Coast General Manager Dr Paul Wilson said there has been a significant increase in mid-year enrolments in 2016 compared to the same time last year.

“Our mid-year intake has increased by 18% in 2016 with around 4000 new enrolments recorded since April,” Dr Wilson said.

“The increase in mid-year enrolments demonstrates how we are successfully offering hands-on training opportunities that people want.

“There’s no doubt that an investment in training and skills is an investment into future success.”

Lexis English Sunshine Coast campus welcomed 110 new students from Japan, the UAE, France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, Colombia, Brazil and Spain, who flocked to the Sunshine Coast to improve their English language skills and experience the quintessential Australian coastal lifestyle.

Michael Molloy from Study Sunshine Coast said this goes to show that students from not only international markets but also locally and internationally are recognising the Sunshine Coast as a preferred study destination.

“Usually we see start of year intakes, right after summer, as the most popular time for students to start studying, particularly with school leavers, but now we are seeing people starting to study midway through the year because there are more options and opportunities popping up with each new semester,” Mr Molloy said.

“This is without a doubt a very exciting time for education on the Sunshine Coast and we can only imagine how these numbers will grow when we go through mid-year intakes in 12 months’ time.”

An initiative of Sunshine Coast Council, the regional Education and Research Industry Taskforce and the newly formed Education Sunshine Coast, Study Sunshine Coast (www.studysunshinecoast.com.au) aims to introduce the 300,000-plus international students who come to study in Australia to the Sunshine Coast and help keep more local students at home for their tertiary education.

Since its launch in April this year, Study Sunshine Coast continues to promote the Sunshine Coast as a premiere study destination within Australia, encouraging students to consider the study options available to them across the region.