Government forms three Jobs and Skills Councils to solve Australia’s workforce challenges

A trio of industry-owned and led networks combining employer and union stakeholders has been established to assist education and government partners in finding skills solutions.

Three new Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) have been launched by the federal government in a bid to deal with workforce challenges for the manufacturing, transport and logistics, mining, and automotive sectors. This includes how to deal with identified skills shortages.

The skills and training minister released a statement on Thursday explaining these groups would help the Jobs and Skills Australia agency ensure workforce planning for respective sectors are aligned with government policy.

Brendan O’Connor said the JSCs were a way to bring “tripartite leadership” to make sure industry had the right workers and students who received the best chance of securing secure, fulfilling work.

“JSCs like Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance will help inform and advise both tertiary sectors about the existing and emerging skills needs of our economy,” O’Connor said.

“These new JSCs will act as a source of intelligence on issues affecting their industries and provide valuable leadership and advice in addressing skills and workforce challenges.”

The federal government has committed $442 million over the next four years to establish 10 JSCs, with an agribusiness network already set up.

O’Connor said announcements about more JSCs would be made in the coming weeks, adding they were an important “first step” to highlight job roles, skills, and education and training pathways that were best for specific industries.

This work will also be informed by forecasting and modelling by Jobs and Skills Australia.

Of the three JSCs launched this week, the Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance will work to enable modern manufacturing and associated industries; Industry Skills Australia will focus on Australia’s core supply chain sectors; and the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance will help meet gaps in industries critical to Australia’s economic and environmental future and net zero ambitions.

This article was first published by The Mandarin.