VET News

Addressing a National Skills Crisis: Have Your Say!

The Australian Government has released a discussion paper calling for feedback from state and territory governments, employer bodies, unions, tertiary providers and community organisations on future arrangements for the permanent Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA).
 
Minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O’Connor MP, said Jobs and Skills Australia is a key priority of the Government and an important part of addressing the national skills crisis.
 
"Seeking wide-reaching advice from our tripartite partners will strengthen the integrity of JSA and deliver greater certainty for business and industry and support opportunities for Australians, particularly those most disadvantaged," Minister O’Connor said. "I’m calling on state and territory governments, industry, unions, tertiary providers and community organisations to consider the Discussion Paper and respond with feedback on how they want JSA to work with them in the future", Minister O’Connor said.
 
It is proposed that Jobs and Skills Australia’s initial set of functions be expanded to ensure that it can take a broad, economy-wide perspective in its advice.
 
Stakeholder consultation to date has established some common themes that are intended to inform its proposed final form.
 
These include that JSA:

• Involve state and territory governments as major purchasers of training and ensure jurisdictional needs are considered, local knowledge informs analysis and products, and more targeted solutions are enabled
• Have a multi-disciplinary board with industry and union representation
• Provide more granular data and analysis to inform workforce planning and funding decisions at state and regional levels, and to inform place-based solutions
• Provide insights about under-employment, and how to create conditions and pathways to better use the skills and abilities of all Australians, particularly those traditionally disadvantaged
• Provide information about workforce supply and demand to understand barriers to participation
• Better guide Jobs and Skills Councils to improve workforce planning and training product design
• Play a central role in workforce planning and career advice while also coordinating skills, employment, and migration settings
• Provide economy-wide advice that includes higher education.

Public submissions on the Jobs and Skills Discussion Paper close on 10 February 2023.
 
For information on how to make a submission visit: Jobs and Skills Australia - Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Australian Government (dewr.gov.au)

See full Ministers' Media Centre release here.

#

Date posted Jan 27, 2023