An ageing workforce and difficulties in attracting and retaining young professionals are seen as the most important concerns for the future of Border businesses, according to a group of leading businesspeople and Charles Sturt University (CSU) academics. Drawn from leading Border businesses and the University’s School of Business and Information Technology (SBIT), the group identified in-house graduate placement programs among the main ways of attracting and retaining young professionals in local businesses. Head of SBIT, Associate Professor John Atkinson, believes one solution to the skills shortage is to develop a stronger professional community, which could be facilitated by developing closer links between the community and CSU. “The group identified areas such as offering more work internships to CSU students, mentoring and guest lectures as ways the community could offer its services to the University, while the School can provide research expertise and findings, target employment skills in courses, and provide forums for topical community issues.” The group will meet again later in the year to further strengthen the linkages between the School and the Border community.