Tertiary-education providers may be underprepared for the dual impact that an arriving baby boom and a recession may have on staff levels and staff workloads according the the TEU’s national secretary Sharn Riggs.

Since the early 1990s a mini-baby boom has been passing through our education system, bolstering enrolments by tens of thousands of students. Primary education came under significant pressure during the mid-1990s as this baby boom passed through primary schools between 1994 and 2002. Secondary schools then felt the pressure between 2001 and last year.

Each period was a time of significant industrial unrest for the two unions representing the respective sectors. During the mid-1990s, primary teachers faced large workload and staffing pressures. Likewise, during the early part of this century, secondary teachers came under similar workload pressure.

Now, with those students turning 18, 19, and 20, tertiary-education providers can expect an echo of the same staffing problems. This combines with increased pressure on tertiary-education institutions as intending new students look to up skill or re-educate in the face of a looming recession.

“Tertiary-education institutions can react pre-emptively to encourage new staff and retain existing staff,” said Ms Riggs. “But they need to do it quickly while they still have a window to do so. It’s no use promoting tertiary education heavily if we do not have the resources and, more importantly, the people to meet the demand we are generating.”