Australia plans to strengthen skills sector with A$402 million investment

Over the next four years, the Australian government will invest A$402 million (US$276 million) to establish Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) to address skills shortages and broader workforce challenges.

This, said Brendan O’Connor, Australia’s Minister for Skills and Training, will ensure that the skills sector can better serve Australian employees, businesses, and the wider economy.

In a statement, the minister highlighted that the new JSCs will have a strong connection to Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), aligning with the government’s vision for new industry engagement arrangements. JSA is a statutory body that provides independent advice on current, emerging, and future workforce, skills, and training needs.

“Led by industry, the JSCs will bring all parties to the table to find solutions to the workforce challenges and skills needs currently facing industry sectors across Australia. This commitment to tripartite leadership will bring together employers and unions that work in partnership with governments and the training sector,” O’Connor said.

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In partnership with JSA, JSCs will determine job roles, skills needs, and training pathways, combining industry-specific intelligence with JSA’s forecasting and modelling capabilities. JSCs will identify skills and workforce needs for their sectors, map career paths across education sectors, and develop training products for vocational education and training (VET) institutions.