One of the Sunshine Coast’s most important economic development arms has been handed a new focus on employment in a region set for the largest jobs growth in Queensland.
Regional Development Australia Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast (RDAMBSC) has been appointed by the State Government to lead a revitalised Sunshine Coast Regional Jobs Committee (SCRJC) – one of 12 across Queensland.
The SCRJC will coordinate a revised focus to develop local skilling and workforce solutions that target skills gaps in critical industry sectors. The Sunshine Coast remains an important focus for the Queensland Government with Jobs Queensland predicting the region’s employment numbers will grow by 7.1 per cent in the four years until 2028 – the largest increase in the state.
RDAMBSC will build on the strong work of the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce which has overseen the SCRJC since it was established in 2024.
RDAMBSC – one of 50 RDAs funded by the Federal Government around the nation – represents a voice for investment, impact and inclusion through region-led partnerships to sustain and innovate the Moreton Bay-Sunshine Coast-Noosa economic growth corridor.
The additional responsibility will complement RDAMBSC’s work in a region that surpasses national averages with 45 per cent of Sunshine Coast residents holding post-secondary qualifications.
And while strong employment continues in industries including health care and social assistance, construction, retail trade and accommodation and food services, in the next three years Jobs Queensland expects the Sunshine Coast will experience major jobs growth in manufacturing, education and training, public administration and professional, scientific and technical services.
RDAMBSC Acting CEO Tracey Coobula said the organisation was excited about the prospect of playing a stronger role in employment and skills development in the Sunshine Coast local government area while also drawing on its knowledge of the wider Moreton to Noosa corridor.
Ms Coobula said RDAMBSC’s previous partnerships with SCRJC through the likes of the Future Skills Events would enable it to enhance strategic employment growth in the region.
“Bringing the SCRJC under the RDAMBSC banner will only strengthen the region’s alignment as we seek to plan and deliver long-term employment solutions,” Ms Coobula said. “RDAMBSC is looking forward to this additional role with the region already boasting a solid employment base. Our communities are a mix of young families, established professionals, retired and semi-retired individuals who bring a wealth of industry expertise to the region.
“And we have tremendous opportunities for business. Our region offers 30-40 per cent lower operational costs compared to Sydney or Melbourne and we have stronger connectivity to Asian markets.”
Ms Coobula said while local skill levels were proportionately higher than national averages, a sustainable workforce pipeline was also being established to build focused education and training programs to address a skilled labour gap and to attract talent.
RDAMBSC has been continually active in employment and researchinitiatives across the three regions.
This year, RDAMBSC has already partnered with the University of Technology Sydney to understand the region’s economic capabilities while also engineering a communique with Australian defence industry leaders to create new opportunities for local businesses.
It has also adopted the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) that is proven to transform regional economies and is credited with sparking innovation and economic growth in some European regions. This partnership is being delivered in collaboration with SCRJC.
“We’ve had the privilege of engaging with local business through identifying accelerators and innovation programs, including Tokenizer through the Peregian Beach Digital Hub and UniSC’s Space to Sea Accelerator, to create an entrepreneurial environment encouraging investment and innovation,” Ms Coobula said.
“And our S3 project is a proactive step in aligning local capability with national reform – we’re putting our region at the heart of the national productivity conversation by trying to shape the economy the region wants to lead in future decades.”
For more media information, contact Michael Crutcher, 55 comms, (07) 3041 1115;
0417 798 794; [email protected]
