Why Education is Important for the Economic Growth of Australia

Australia is the twelfth largest economy in the world among developed countries, according to the rate of GDP growth. Because of high living standard, low unemployment rate, high labour costs, huge natural resources and relatively low levels of corruption, Australia is a popular destination for skilled workers, international students and tourists from all over the world.  

10 years ago, the largest number of immigrants came from England and New Zealand, however in recent years things have changed and there are a greater number of immigrants from China and India. Is the growing number of immigrants a good thing? Obviously, with more skilled workers available, productivity increases which is good for everyone in the long run. 

However there are also some potential dangers associated with increased immigration.

People that immigrate to the country as a skilled worker may not be able to find a job in the field in which they are skilled. There is evidence to suggest that some companies do not recognise international qualifications and would much prefer someone that is educated locally.  

Immigrants that are unable to get a job in their chosen field can find a position in a low skilled, low paid industry, educate themselves further in Australia and/or get help from the government, which puts more pressure on the economy and worsens the situation rather than improving it. Yet in terms of getting educated, Australia offers excellent opportunities. Many immigrants choose to educate themselves further in Australia as it is world-renowned for the quality of education that is provided.

Unfortunately Australia is far behind for funding of research and development. According to a Wikipedia report Australia ranked 15th in the world for research and development funding. They are even behind from developing country such as India (ranked 8th) and Brazil (ranked 11th). The only way to mature an economy is innovating new technology rather than increasing the volume of goods production. In the last century almost all the major innovation happened in USA who are the maximum spender in research and development field. 

No wonder that USA is the number one economy in the world in respect to GDP growth. So the time has come for the policy maker to rethink about this issue deeply.

However there are good news also. A significant amount of money is put into vocational education and training including TAFE and short courses in cooking, IT and real estate. The reason behind this is mainly the skill shortages in these industries. The Australian government has done a great job by funding these areas to create a skilled younger population that can fill this need. Because of the constant growth of tourism and the real estate industry, it is speculated that more jobs will be created in this sectors in near future.

There are many opportunities afforded to young Australians as the economy requires different skilled to fill the holes. The real estate and property industry is one such industry and more and more training courses are opening up to accommodate for this need. Find more information about quality real estate courses in Sydney by visiting REET.

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The Obvious Reasons To Hire A Professional Real Estate Agent

For various reasons, it is generally advisable to go through an agent if you’re selling a property. While the economy is picking up and the demand for property is rising constantly, it arguably still a buyer’s market and any leg up you can have over your competition is valuable. A professional real estate agent can give your property the exposure it needs and knows all the tricks get the house sold for a higher price. The statistics show that getting an agent is cost effective given the money, time and energy you’d otherwise spend on selling the house. Other reasons to go with a real estate agent include:

• Chances are your real estate agent has a lot more experience and knowledge than you about how best to sell a property.
• Your real estate agent will have the contacts that can provide services that will help get your home sold.
• Your real estate agent will handle the paperwork. This task alone could take you tens of hours if you choose to go at it alone.
• A real estate agent can help you ideas on what to expect in terms of selling price with respect to market conditions, the neighbourhood you’re in, etc.

Despite the many advantages that come with hiring a professional real estate agent, there are certainly some agents in the market that use undesirable tactics and possibly take advantage of their clients for their own gain. Obviously these are the one you want to be avoiding.
It’s definitely worth doing some homework when it comes to find a real estate agent, follow these tips and you’ll have the best chance of getting an agent you can trust. It’s just not worth taking chances!

Do some research online about a particular agent and if you’re impressed with their online reputation, contact them and make an appointment for a chat. It’s then about sussing them out and getting a feel for how they operate and how successful they are.While reading the profile of a particular candidate check if they have a sound educational background as well.This is important because  having a relevant degree means the candidate have in depth knowledge about the subject. There are a lot of reputed education institutes exists who provide real estate and property management training courses. If your prospective candidate have a degree from any of these reputated institutes, shortlist them.

• Ask how many properties they’ve sold in the past year and how long they’ve been in the industry. You  obviously want someone with good experience.
• Find out as much as you can about their marketing strategy. In the initial consultation they’re not likely to give too much away but they should provide you with a general idea. Nowadays it’s all about the online marketing, with around 95% of buyers finding their home on the net.
• If you ask how much your property is worth, or how much the prospective agent would expect to sell the property for, you won’t always get an honest answer. Some agents will tell you anything to get your business, while honest ones that tell you the truth might not be as appealing because they aren’t claiming they’ll fetch as high a price. Be wary of this and realise that the good, honest real estate agents are your best bet in the long run. After all, it’s in their best interests to sell the property for the highest price they can and quoting you a price that is un-achievable is only going to set you up for disappointment.
• Ask for testimonials. If they’ve been in the industry for a reasonable amount of time they should have a bunch online, but you can’t always trust what you read on the internet. Seeing a real testimonial or even contacting someone that has worked with the agent in the past will give you further insight.

Following these tips will give you every chance of choosing the right real estate agent. Be careful and don’t rush your decision because hiring someone that is untrustworthy can be more trouble than it’s worth.