Figure 2 Level of highest educational attainment- counting persons 15 years and over( Source: ABS 2021)
Figure 3 Highest level of educational attainment- employed residents earning over $ 800 / week( Source: ABS 2021)
However, a challenge for retaining businesses was that individual family trajectories can affect business decisions. Key moments in the lives of business investors and workers centred around the choice of schools for their children and healthcare, either for themselves or for their elderly family. Our analysis of the age demographics combined with interview data suggested that there may be a degree of out-migration of young people who later return to raise their families. Interview accounts suggested that young people leave the area to gain life experience and often return later. It was at this point in the life journey that retaining their skills locally was critical. A particularly influential factor was the retention of their spouses or partners with a combination of employment and other strong social supports.
AN INFRASTRUCTURE WISH LIST Inevitably, interviewees offered a wish list of infrastructure improvements to help make business more attractive. The relatively short commutes experienced by Lake Macquarie workers was an attraction but did not stop concerns about road conditions. There was some discussion of the benefits of the clustering of specific industries in certain locations. For example, a health sector cluster was considered logical to develop in the Charlestown-Belmont area with its range of industry-specific advantages, such as the presence of Lake Macquarie Private Hospital and nearby John Hunter Hospital connected by the Newcastle Link Road. Importantly, a factor regularly identified as critical for business development as well as for maintaining liveability was having workers residing close to their workplace rather than enduring long commutes. Housing for workers was seen as a crucial factor, especially for health workers – a predominantly feminised workforce operating in shifts.
A TALENTED WORKFORCE Business leaders valued the work ethic of their employees, referring to a willingness to speak openly with their employer and undertaking their responsibilities pragmatically. This generally applied to the older workers who were well established and had lived in the area for their whole lives. One key finding related to the talent of Lake Macquarie’ s workers. While the levels of highest educational attainment were generally higher than the Hunter region, they were lower than the average for NSW( see figure 2). However, it was recounted by business leaders that qualifications do not necessarily equate to skills. Lake Macquarie’ s pool of workers was considered to be highly skilled. Many respondents recognised that staff with a Certificate III / IV level qualification were skilled beyond that level. When we examined income level related to qualification, we found that workers with low qualifications were earning well compared to the rest of NSW( figure 3). For example, 31 % of people with a Certificate III / IV qualification in Lake Macquarie were earning over $ 800 per week. This compared to only 18 % of workers with the same qualifications across NSW earning that amount.
Key anchoring infrastructure was also discussed as critical to the realisation of potential opportunities. This included the development of an advanced manufacturing centre on the west of the lake; ensuring available commercial and industrial land with mooring opportunities adjacent to the lake; and( in addition to the privately run Avondale University) attracting further university-level education such a local campus of the University of Newcastle.
The existing rail infrastructure was also discussed as an attractive element of Lake Macquarie providing easy access for
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