Australia’s unions and the nation’s two largest employer bodies will hold an historic meeting today (Tuesday) to forge a shared approach to the skills and training needs of the national economy.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow will host the meeting with the Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Peter Anderson, and the Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group, Heather Ridout where they will discuss the future of Australia’s vocational education training system.

The three bodies have a common view that Australia’s system of skills development should be driven by the needs of both employers and employees as the industry partners. This is especially so as the nation relies more on immigration to fill gaps in its skilled workforce.

“Australia is currently confronting a massive skills shortage that threatens to hold back our economic progress,” says ACTU President Sharan Burrow.
“It makes sense that our training system should be guided by the demands of employers, employees and industry for skills necessary to meet the challenges of the local and global economy in the twenty-first century.”

Ai Group chief executive Heather Ridout agrees that Australia's training system needs to be industry driven.

“It’s critical that Australian industry has access to a highly skilled workforce to provide the necessary competitive edge and this is especially the case in the areas of emerging technology and in developing innovative responses to environmental challenges,” Mrs Ridout says. “However, investment in skills is only sustainable when it leads to employment, which puts a huge emphasis on the needs of industry being central to training provision.

“We need arrangements put in place that deliver more of what industry needs and less according to what the training system chooses to offer.”

The three peak bodies believe that the capacity to respond in flexible, innovative ways to emerging global trends cannot be effectively achieved without industry leadership.

“Australia’s place in the global economy is dependent on a mobile, skilled and productive workforce that can respond flexibly to current and emerging needs,” says ACCI chief executive Peter Anderson.

“The business community must show leadership in identifying and developing those skills and ensure that high standards are achieved and maintained.”

The groups also agree that Australia’s long term skills needs depend on greater encouragement for people to undertake a vocational qualification. This is to the benefit of individual employees, employers in enterprises and the community at large.