CROWD: Connecting Regional Opportunities for Workforce Development
What is CROWD?
The CROWD Initiative aims to address immediate workforce shortages while building a sustainable, skilled future workforce across the MidCoast LGA by linking regional universities, local employers, and community members.
Purpose & Goals
The TUC CROWD Initiative aims to tackle immediate workforce shortages while building a sustainable, skilled future workforce across the MidCoast LGA. By linking regional universities, local employers and community members, the project creates pathways, cultural orientation and relocation support that enable people to "go further, close to home."
The initiative is driven by four core strategic pillars:
Short-Term Workforce Growth: Expanding the Community Connector Program to recruit, settle, and retain skilled workers in industries of need.
Longer-Term Workforce Development: Increasing capacity and confidence among Year 8–12 students to envisage thriving careers locally, guiding them toward university and vocational pathways.
University Pathways Outside ATAR: Raising awareness of and engagement in alternate higher education pathways, ensuring aspiring students of all ages know that university is achievable and supported locally.
Local Cultural Orientation: Delivering cultural orientation programs led by local First Nations leaders to strengthen connections to community and country for both new and long-standing residents.
The ultimate vision is to foster stronger community connections, grow a skilled and engaged workforce, and drive economic development and business confidence in the region.
Status & Funding
This project is currently active, running from 2025 to 2027. It is proudly supported by the NSW Government – Regional Economic Development and Community Investment Program (REDCIP). The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the NSW Government.
Mode of Delivery
The initiative is delivered through five key roles and programs:
Community Connector: Leads the model to recruit, settle, and retain skilled workers. Services include arranging housing, schooling, and social integration, alongside ongoing support to ensure long-term residency.
Cultural Connector: Designs, delivers, and oversees an Aboriginal-led Cultural Orientation Program and community outings, fostering inclusivity and cultural competence for students, businesses, and new residents.
Regional Higher-Education Facilitator: Works with local high schools to inspire Year 8–10 students and guide Year 11–12 learners toward university or vocational pathways, building a pipeline of skilled local talent.
Research, Evaluation & Project Manager: Monitors program performance, conducts impact assessments, and reports outcomes to funders and stakeholders to ensure evidence-based adaptability.
Academic Support for University-Access: Provides face-to-face academic coaching for Year 12 students enrolled in university-access courses, boosting completion rates and confidence for non-ATAR entry into over 70 degree programs.
Project Milestones
Intended Audience
The CROWD Initiative serves a diverse range of stakeholders across the MidCoast:
Skilled Professionals: Individuals in vital sectors (e.g., GPs, nurses, engineers, childcare staff) looking to relocate to the region.
School Students: Year 8–12 students, particularly those needing guidance on university and vocational pathways or lacking confidence in their career prospects.
Local Businesses: Employers seeking to fill workforce shortages and benefit from a more skilled, efficient, and innovative local talent pool.
Community Members: Both new arrivals and long-standing residents seeking to deepen their cultural connection and understanding of the region's First Nations history.
Partners & Collaborators
Mid Coast Community Connector: A strategic partner in the initiative.
Biripi Nation: Leaders and Elders leading the Cultural Orientation Program.
Local High Schools: Collaborating on student outreach and pathway guidance.
Local Employers: Engaging in workforce recruitment and retention.
Metrics for Success
Success is measured through three primary outcomes:
Stronger Community Connections and Cohesion: Evidenced by successful cultural orientation and social integration of new residents.
Growth of a Skilled and Engaged Workforce: Measured by the number of skilled professionals recruited and retained (e.g., 100 professionals relocated since October 2025) and the number of students progressing to university or vocational pathways.
Economic Development and Business Confidence: Indicated by improved workforce participation, growing skill levels, increased business efficiency and innovation, and the MidCoast's enhanced profile as a location for business investment.
