![Charles Sturt University external engagement director James McKechnie at Dubbo campus on Monday, 26 September 2022. Picture by Belinda Soole Charles Sturt University external engagement director James McKechnie at Dubbo campus on Monday, 26 September 2022. Picture by Belinda Soole](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168083814/9e9d34f7-558d-46ab-9163-b8e26a279b76.jpg/r88_184_3408_2344_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Nursing and social work students at Charles Sturt University's Dubbo campus are among graduates of Australia's 39 universities, snapping up well-paying jobs quicker, recent Good Universities Guide results have revealed.
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The results said 90.1 per cent of CSU nursing undergraduates and 84.6 percent of those who completed social work are signing up for full-time jobs within four months of graduation. Their median salary starts from $64,100
"It's an outcome that shows Dubbo graduates are making an impact in the skills targets," said CSU external engagement director James McKechnie.
"It means two things, firstly it's a great outcome for the graduates and staff, and secondly, it's an indicator that the workforce needs of the region will be met and possibly motivate students to consider CSU courses and degrees.
"In NSW particularly, there are employment issues but in health, social work and mental health we are hoping to fill the gap, and with good salaries and working conditions, too.
"This is the sixth year CSU has led the nation for graduate employment and salaries."
The CSU campus in Dubbo has 270 students from the local region, with a further 800 students enrolled online and in hybrid courses coming from across the states that are job-ready after graduation, Mr McKechnie said.
The most popular courses in Dubbo are Indigenous studies, nursing, human services, and social work with results showing these are leading courses in Dubbo both by current students and future students under the CSU advantage applications, Mr McKechnie said.
The guide also showed its campuses in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Canberra, Goulburn, Orange, Port Macquarie and Wagga Wagga, have impressive results for its graduates in agriculture and environment, business and management, humanities, social sciences, law and social work.
"The world has changed a lot there are more opportunities to choose what study option suited them and there are plenty of options for studying online," Mr McKechnie said.
This year, Mr McKechnie said CSU has accepted 20 Bachelor of Nursing students, four in the Bachelor of Social Work, and is expanding its recruitment under the early entry program for students still in Year 11 or Year 12 and considering studying at CSU.
"These strong results in employability [of CSU graduates] certainly recognises that someone completing high school who has a lot of ambition, drive, and commitment to complete a degree and get employed can go into our early advantage program," Mr McKechnie said.
The workforce needs in regional areas are also constantly changing in terms of skills and training requirements so CSU is targeting their courses on skills needed by employers in the region, Mr McKechnie said.
By offering courses that backfills the needs of local or regionally-based employers, Mr McKechnie said the potentials for students to live and work locally after graduation are highly likely.
"If they study locally, and got a position locally, they would be inclined to stay locally. I don't think new graduates will change employers quickly in the first stages of their careers.
"We're proud to continue to deliver students with sought-after skills and knowledge that are workforce-ready after graduation."
The Guide's results and rankings come from data provided by the Department of Education, the graduates, and students' experience surveys.