Strengthening digital technologies and human services care workforce

Work to grow Australia’s skilled workforce is underway with the commencement of Skills Organisation Pilots to support the digital technology and human services care industries.

The first two Skills Organisation Pilots will allow target industries the opportunity to shape the national training system to be more responsive to their particular skills needs, and to ensure that employers have confidence in the quality of VET graduates. The Pilots were announced as a part of the Morrison Government’s $585 million Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow package.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said she was delighted to announce Yasmin Allen and John Murray as Chairs of the steering groups for the Digital Technology and the Human Services Care Pilots, respectively.

“Yasmin Allen, Non-Executive Director ASX Limited, Santos Ltd and Cochlear Ltd, brings with her extensive experience as an industry leader, with senior roles across a range of sectors at the forefront of digital disruption, including energy, financial services and medical technology,” Minister Cash said.

“John Murray, CEO Royal Australian Airforce Association WA, comes with extensive senior management experience in health, aged care and retirement living.

“I’m pleased to have these two highly skilled industry leaders to lead the work on shaping the national training system to better meet skills needs of the digital technologies and human services sectors.”

Ms Allen said digital technologies are essential to Australia’s economy with demand for ICT professionals and telecommunications technicians projected to increase by an additional 71,000 workers by 2024, with significant increases also needed in cyber skills to meet that sectors full potential.

“The rapid pace of technological change brings extraordinary potential. For Australia to thrive in this environment it is critical the training system keeps pace to ensure our people and businesses have the right skills at the right time,” Ms Allen said.

Mr Murray said the human services care sector will support an increasing number of Australians in the coming decades, with demand for care-related occupations expected to increase by over 100,000 jobs in the next five years alone.

“Jobs in human service care industries are some of the most crucial in our society as they support our most vulnerable people. I am excited about the opportunity to trial better ways of meeting our skills needs, to deliver the quality care to our fellow Australians,” Mr Murray said.

The steering groups for the Pilots will lead the development of a detailed design for each Skills Organisation Pilot including a governance model, areas of focus and forward work program ahead of more formal entities being formed or engaged later this year.

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, Steve Irons MP said he encourages people to contribute to the design of the two pilots.

“The pilots will ensure the ongoing availability of a highly skilled workforce. The more industry experience we can bring to the task of designing them, the more effective they will be at building the highly skilled workforce Australian employers need to grow their businesses,” Assistant Minister Irons said.

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