The Australian outback is taking on a new appeal because it suffers from a shortage of skilled workers.
Through the Brolga Project, some university students are being given the opportunity to try life and work experience with a rural or regional community, in the hope the student will settle into a regional career when they graduate. 
Although only 15 months old, the project has already received expressions of interest from over 500 students who want to try out work in the great Outback, and the project is appealing to both Australian and International students.
Ms Yumiko Murakami is an international student doing her Masters in Marketing and she saw the project as offering an alternative to city-based employment opportunities.
"For the start I was looking for work experience, and getting out into regional areas sounded really exciting," Ms Murakami said.
But she was picked up by the fledgling project's office in Brisbane as a means for its administration to ‘walk the talk' and learn about the realities of taking on a student, particularly one with an international background.
Manager of the Brolga Project, Mr Richard Cowley said he's delighted with the outcomes of the placement and has been delivered a fresh perspective.
"It's always good to get different ideas thrown into the mix, and Yumiko has delivered a fresh outlook," he said.
National and International students alike rarely find the opportunity to travel outside the major metropolitan cities, and Yumiko personifies that.
"I've been in Australia four years," she said, "and really haven't been far outside Brisbane.
"I wasn't expecting to stay here, so I'm really looking forward to getting out and getting a feel for the country," she concluded.
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For more information please contact:
Richard Cowley, Manager, The Brolga Project., 07 3366 1005 E richard@brolgaproject.com.au
Press Release