The future of a small isolated community |
Mr Murray and Ms Smith speak to year 7 |
| Much is changing, much is the same |
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Mr Murray explained to Year 7 that the Shire of Yarriambiack, with Warracknabeal as its administrative centre, was about 7,200 square kilometers. It had 7,700 peopel - about 1 person per square kilometre!!
4,800 of those people work. There are 160 unemployed within the shire. That is 3.3%.
Mr Murray saidthat more young people live out of the main towns, than in them.
Farming is our biggest employer and the mainstay of the community.
Over one half of all our young people will leave the district by the age of 19! 40% of our population is 45 and over.
In a discussion it was established that many jobs performed in the past are still done today but they have changed. Technology, transportation, computers, machinery, lifestyles and communications have all changed and changed the way we do things.
Mr Murray told Year 7 that the jobs they will do have yet to be invented.
In a quick survey students expressed interest in the following careers: chef, mechanic, nurse, trades, medicine, interior design, vet, uni, lawyer, art, architecture, armed forces, hairdressing. Many of these careers will require moving away. However, there is a great hortage of trainef, skilled workers in the area. It is interesting that no student volunteered farming. Mr Murray also stated that agricultural industries suffered the largest job losses in the years 1996 - 2001.