Australian universities must provide more places for poorer students to meet future labour market demands, report says

‘Only 15% of young people from poor families have a university degree. And only 18% of young people in the regions do,’ Jason Clare says. Photograph: Lico2020/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Australian universities will need to make far more places available for students from lower socioeconomic and outer suburban areas in coming decades to equip the future labour force with necessary skills, a new report has found.

The Australian Universities Accord Interim Report estimates that 55% of Australian jobs could require a university degree by 2050 and recommends “bold, long-term change” in order to meet the coming challenges.