Generating jobs in regional Tasmania: a social capital approach: final report

The Generating Jobs in Regional Tasmania project investigated how small businesses, training providers (including schools) and other organisations can best work together to improve the match between the skills available in small rural communities and the needs of employers, particularly small businesses. The two rural communities that took part in the project were Circular Head in the far northwest and Dorset in the far north-east of Tasmania. Specific questions addressed by the project were: How can effective partnerships be developed between small businesses, training providers, including schools, and the community? What is the role of leadership, its continuity and distribution in the community in general and the small business and training sectors in particular, in fostering effective training provision and uptake of training? How can social capital in the form of networks, trust, shared culture and vision, be built and used so as to optimise the effectiveness of training for a rural community? This final report describes the project and its background, methodology, findings, and recommendations. Appendices include community profiles, interview schedules and questionnaires. Also appended is a report titled Education, training and work in Circular Head: student and parent survey.