Go8 supports solution to national skills shortage

The creation of Jobs and Skills Australia is an important step towards addressing Australia’s workforce and skills shortage.

Group of Eight Deputy Chief Executive Dr Matthew Brown said Australia’s research-intensive universities would work with Government and the new agency to help deliver the current and future skills and workforce Australia requires.

“We are a critical juncture with respect to skills needs – facing serious challenges to maintaining capacity in essential areas of workforce need. The new agency will fill in a missing piece in Australia’s workforce planning architecture through delivering capacity studies for new emerging industries to ensure there is a pipeline of appropriately skilled workers.

“The Go8 had advocated for industry-based workforce planning via its recommendation to Government to establish a sovereign capability charter in key workforce areas and industries. Jobs and Skills Australia will help fill this gap.

“The Go8 has a strong track record working with government, business and industry to address skills shortages in Australia’s workforce, and in the past year convened engineering and medical workforce summits – both areas critical to our future prosperity and wellbeing. We have a critical role to play in ensuring Australia has a workforce capable of meeting the needs of these key sectors but also for new and emerging industries.

“The Go8 looks forward to working in partnership with the Jobs and Skills Australia to deliver the skills the nation needs to boost productivity and economic prosperity.”

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