The Hon Julia Gillard MP - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Education, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for Social Inclusion released the new report on 5th March in an address to Skills Australia. The report was compiled by Skills Australia to advise the government on the best ways to meet the workforce demands of the Australian Economy.

Their stated strategy was that “Australia has the workforce capability it requires for a productive, sustainable and inclusive future, and that Australian enterprises have the capacity to develop and use the skills of their workforce to maximum advantage for the benefit of industry and the community.” The report identified a number of workforce threats and opportunities facing Australia which has an already long recognized major skill shortage which will be further exacerbated by

1. Economic recovery causing higher labour demands;
2. An ageing population reducing the labour force;
3. Localised labour hoarding; and
4. A lack of workforce participation.

In her delivery of the report Gillard acknowledged the role played by imported skilled labour in meeting some of the shortfalls but declared “The price of inaction then is demand for skills continuing to outstrip supply, an over reliance on imported skilled labour but enduring localised unemployment. This trifecta is absolutely not in Australia’s best interest.”

The government’s response has been three fold

1. Support for large infrastructure projects and localized projects
2. Local employment coordinators in high risk areas
3. Education and training in the form of the government’s self named “Education Revolution” promoting greater literacy, numeracy and vocational learning and the introduction of a new National Curriculum.

DIAC has not as yet made any publicised comments on the report or advised of any impact or policy changes it may have on Skilled Visa applications. We will keep you up to date if they do.

View the full Australian Workforce Futures Report

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