b'Education matters completed a heap of geology subjects but bumped along with passes and a few credits?These questions might (or should) receive different answers if graduates could access a comprehensive, nationally-based continuing professional development (CPD) system that span the geosciencesdesigned, delivered and with the option for micro-credentialling by a partnership involving industry, government, the professional societies and universities. The building blocks of such a CPD system are in place, courtesy of the short courses and other educational activities provided by professional societies in Australia and overseas. CPD is not only a means of converting capable scientists in other Figure 3.Graduating students in undergraduate and postgraduate geoscience programmes in USfields into geoscientists (bringing withuniversities (data from Keane 2018). them much-needed expertise in other fields) and deepening the skills of those already in the geosciences at all to universities in subsidising theschool leavers as in previous generations.stages oftheir career, but also providing geosciences has been their capacity toThe image of a Prime Minister holdingpathways for those wishing mid-career generate substantial research fundinga piece of coal aloft in parliament andchanges.and delivery of high quality researchpraising its role in Australias future outputs. Both have assisted in improvingenergy supply simply does not makeWe have reached a point where the our international university rankings,the geosciences attractiveyou may asold model is at risk of failure. New with ten of our geoscience departmentswell be offering programmes leading tomodels for training geoscientists regularly appearing in the geosciencecareers in intense whaling or baby sealand providing credible pathways top 100, based on research metrics,clubbing. into the geosciences must be reputation and other factors. But theredevelopedcertainly in relation to are limits to such largesse. In the shortWhat is the (realistic) solution tothe resources sector.term, the effects of COVID-19 andthese problems? From the university the reduction in Federal Governmentperspective we are promoting the manyReferencesfunding of science degrees haveexciting global challenges (e.g. finding not helped the geosciences as ourthe resources required to underpin a low- Cohen, D.R., 2018. Australian Geoscience universities scramble to find billions incarbon economy and geological hazards)Tertiary Education Profile 2017. Report savings. Two Australian universities areand fundamental scientific issues (e.g. theto the Australian Geoscience Council. either disestablishing (or planning torise of life, earth and planetary evolution)www.agc.org.au/reports.disestablish) their geoscience majorsto which the geosciences can contribute.GSL-UGUK, 2019. Enrolment in crisis: and retain only those geoscienceThe multitude of future careers thatA UK-wide strategy for exciting, staff necessary to support theiropen up to graduates with geoscienceengaging and retaining students in environmental science majors. Manymajors are emphasised. The geosciencesthe geosciences. Joint report by the other departments will lose a significantare, or can be made, more attractiveGeological Society of London and number of staff positions over the nextto incoming undergraduates. But thisUniversity Geoscience UK.six months. will require a significant evolution andKeane, C, 2018. Geoscience enrolments broadening of the syllabus. What shouldremain robust in 2016-2017. The issue is not the quality of ourdetermine the balance between generalGeoscience Currents 130, American geoscience programmes or the studentscientific skills and knowledge, andGeosciences Institute.experience. These are generally ratedgeoscience-specific skills? What are the towards the upper end of universityminimum capabilities that would permit discipline rankings by industry anda graduate to get a foot in the door toDavid Cohen is President of the UNSW students. First year geoscience subjectsthe profession? Would companies orAcademic Board and of the Australian are particularly well received by studentsgovernment rather employ a graduateGeoscience Council. He was previously and a high percentage of these studentswith a string of high distinctions inHead of the School of Biological, continue into geoscience majors inchemistry and maths, but who hadEarth and Environmental Sciences at science degrees. The fact is that thecompleted just handful of geoscienceUNSW and is a Past-President of the mining and energy industries are nounits (e.g. basic mineralogy, petrology,Association of Applied Geochemists.longer as attractive to 17 or 18 year oldstructures)or employ a graduate who 29 PREVIEW DECEMBER 2020'