TORRENS University Australia – part of the global Laureate group of universities – is seeing success from its revitalisation of certain course areas that are showing strong jobs growth.
In mid-2017, Torrens University Australia revealed innovative study programs in Sports Management, Health, Design and Hospitality.
The programs were developed to prepare students for jobs in industries which are expected to perform well in the years to come, according to the university’s extensive research.
“At a time when young people are making plans for their professional futures, it’s critical they analyse potential study programs that will lead to genuine, relevant employment opportunities upon graduation,” Torrens University Australia vice chancellor Justin Beilby said. 
“All of the programs offered by Torrens University Australia have been meticulously researched to ensure there is strong evidence indicating there will likely be demand for professionals in the industry and its various occupations for many years to come.
Professor Beilby said Sports Management, Health, Design and Hospitality were industry sectors set to enjoy employment growth in coming years – “which is the starting point from which all Torrens programs are developed”.
HEALTH
Covering a broad spectrum ranging from health and welfare services to caring for the ageing and disabled, Professor Beilby suggested there would be plenty of scope for employment in health-related professions in the years to come.
“Qualified students will be able to contribute to preventing and controlling disease, develop sensitive policies to care for and accommodate our ageing population and those with disabilities,” he said.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics underlines this trend, with the healthcare sector called out as a key driver of jobs growth, currently employing 1.6 million Australians – or 14 percent of the national workforce. The ABS noted there were 366,000 more jobs in Australia’s healthcare sector today than back in 2010, with analysts forecasting an additional 243,000 jobs will be added over the next few years on the back of Australia’s ageing population and the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Prof. Beilby said government data predicted health and welfare services professionals would number 23,000 by 2020, up from 19,000 last year. IBISWorld research anticipated 4.4 percent annual growth in the aged care services industry in the five years to 2022, adding more than 20,000 jobs and estimating an exceptional 10.1 percent annual growth for the retirement village sector.
Employment in the personal welfare services field, incorporating disability services, was tipped to grow from 178,000 in 2017 to more than 200,000 by mid-2022.
“With compelling data demonstrating the potential of these growth industries for our graduates, some fuelled partly by growth in the workforce funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme and an ageing population, it’s clear demand for specialised professionals in these areas will remain high for the foreseeable future,” Prof. Beilbysaid.
“At Torrens we’ve developed several targeted programs to equip students to address pressing issues in each of these fields.
“Our Bachelor of Applied Public Health focuses upon developing and managing public health policy and preventing and controlling disease – essential skills for those interested in working in public health administration, NGOs, private health care providers and overseas aid organisations; while our Bachelor of Human Services (Ageing) and Bachelor of Human Services (Disability) aim to meet the needs of leaders, planners and practitioners in the human services community keen to tackle the challenges of caring for an ageing population and improving the experience of those with a disability,” Prof. Beilby said.
Torrens University Australia also recently established the Torrens Centre of Positive Ageing and Wellbeing. The centre aims to be a leader in the field of positive ageing by addressing the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population and by collaborating more closely with aged care communities and service providers.
The centre will conduct its own research and aims to improve social justice and wellbeing, including improved health outcomes, stringent governance and quality controls, economic prosperity and international development.
For those already working in the industry, Torrens offers postgraduate programs in Public Health and Human Services Management.
Torrens University Australia is a member of the peak national organisation representing public health in universities, the Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australia (CAPHIA). In addition to this, the pioneering Public Health Information Development Unit (PHIDU), which collates and graphically represents health and other lifestyle data, also calls Torrens home. This means students have access to leading data to use freely in research, study, planning, teaching, policy-making, communications and conversation.
SPORTS MANAGEMENT
Sports administrative services will enjoy annual jobs growth of 4.9 percent in 2019-20, according to business analysts IBISWorld, with roles ranging from negotiating broadcast rights and brokering sponsorship deals to managing member services and becoming involved with team management.
Similarly, the Department of Employment foresees strong sports-related growth with the number of people working in the amusement, fitness and sports centre management category tipped to double to 18,000 between 2012 and 2020.
“The Bachelor of Business-Sports Management at Torrens University Australia teaches students to identify business opportunities for sports organisations, analyse the role of professional sport in society, consider sports’ impact on developing community, and examine the impact of governing bodies on sports regulation,” Prof. Beilby said. 
“Preparing them for careers in professional sports team management, sports event marketing and management or planning and running high-level sporting facilities.”
For those already working in the industry, Torrens offers a MBA in Sports Administration in partnership with Real Madrid Graduate School – a program that has seen strong uptake from a broad range of existing professionals since it was launched in July 2015.
HOSPITALITY
ABS data showed accommodation and hospitality as two of the industries enjoying the fastest rate of jobs growth in 2017. Each segment added 40,000 jobs in the year to May 2017.
Statistics from the Department of Employment indicate excellent prospects for hotel, conference and event management professionals, with hotel managers already enjoying 16.5 percent employment growth in the five years to 2015, while employment numbers in the conference and event management field are predicted to reach 25,400 by 2020, up from 13,500 in 2005.
The luxury hotel and serviced apartment sectors have also recorded solid annualised growth on the back of strong demand from foreign tourists, especially Chinese visitors.
“Torrens University Australia has developed a range of hospitality-related programs to target skills gaps in the sector, including the Bachelor of Business (International Event Management) and Bachelor of Business (International Hotel and Resort Management) at the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS), and the Bachelor of Business (Event Management) at APM College of Business and Communication,” Prof. Beilby said.
“From hotel and resort managers to guest services professionals, event coordinators and conference managers, our hospitality programs offer extensive, and often paid, professional work placements to help our graduates secure those sought-after jobs as soon as they complete their studies – if not before,” Prof. Beilby said.
“For those already working in the industry, Torrens offers postgraduate programs in International Hotel Management and Global Business Management. The Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School at Torrens University Australia has an enviable reputation in the hospitality industry.
“Particularly, the school’s industry partnerships lead the field, counting Accor, Four Seasons and Sofitel among its partners,” he said.
“In 2016 the careers team sourced over 750 industry placements for students in Australia and around the world, in part contributing to the school’s superb employability record: 70 percent of BMIHMS students obtain jobs prior to graduation and 95 percent within three months of graduation.
DESIGN
Technology-related design fields are likely to enjoy sustained jobs – and revenue – growth in coming years as industry continues to seek fresh ways to harness technology, “especially the mobile variety” Prof. Beilby said.
According to IBISWorld data, software publishers will enjoy eight percent annual revenue growth over the next five years, computer system design services will grow by 3.9 percent per year, while smartphone app developers will experience accelerated growth of 10.6 percent in the years to 2022.
“Our Bachelor of Software Engineering (Game Programming) and Bachelor of Creative Technologies (Game Art) programs at Media Design School at Torrens University Australia have been specially developed to equip student with the skills they need to become specialist software engineers and game developers across platforms including online, mobile and console environments,” Prof. Beilby said.
“We’ve partnered with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s PlayStation First Academic Development Program to enable program students to develop games for the iconic PlayStation, and to collaborate with fellow programmers and game artists to take commercially viable game concepts from the drawing board through to live prototype stage, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to crafting programs based around hands-on learning and developing students with the real-world skills employers seek – before they graduate.”
For those already working in the industry, Torrens offers postgraduate programs in Design, and UX and Web Design. The Bachelor of Software Engineering (Game Programming) and Bachelor of Creative Technologies (Game Art) programs at Media Design School at Torrens University Australia have been developed in conjunction with New Zealand’s most awarded provider of digital and creative technology programs of study.
Media Design School gained additional international recognition in 2016 when the school was ranked by The Rookies as the world’s top tertiary provider for both graphic design and photography by a panel of internationally renowned judges, beating 479 other schools from 77 countries for top honours.
Torrens University’s campuses are in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.
Each location is led by a team of research- and career-oriented academic staff who, combined with a carefully selected group of global industry partners, help students to bridge the gap between study and work, Prof. Beilby said.
Torrens University Australia is part of the global Laureate International Universities network, with more than a million students at 70 institutions in 25 countries.
www.torrens.edu.au
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