Have your say on building a National Skills Taxonomy

Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has released the National Skills Taxonomy (NST) Discussion Paper, a step forward in the development of a new national skills taxonomy. The NST will replace the existing Australian Skills Classification (ASC), offering a more comprehensive and dynamic approach to categorising and organising skills across Australia. The ASC will remain available for users until the NST is developed.

Skills are at the centre of Australia’s education system and labour market. Despite the importance of skills, challenges persist in responding to needs. The new NST will provide a common language and understanding of skills, to better connect the education, skills, and employment sectors.

JSA Commissioner, Professor Barney Glover said, ‘The Universities Accord found a new National Skills Taxonomy was crucial for creating a truly joined-up education system. Our stakeholders also want this to help keep pace with Australia’s rapidly changing skills needs.

‘The Discussion Paper is an important step in working with stakeholders to understand what the aims, principles, and scope of the taxonomy should be.

‘We see how a National Skills Taxonomy can help to address emerging skills needs, prioritise training requirements, and support economic growth for all Australians.’

This is an exciting opportunity for individuals and organisations to contribute to shaping the future of the NST. We invite you to share your insights and perspectives on the opportunities and challenges that a national skills taxonomy may present. Specifically, we are interested in your views on:

the benefits and limitations of existing skills taxonomies
how an NST could help across education, training or the labour market
the principles and key features you want in an NST
what data should inform an NST and how it should be maintained.

We are also scheduling a series of in-person and virtual workshops with stakeholders from across VET, higher education, industry and unions and the communities’ sector. These workshops will explore the range of views on the development of a National Skills Taxonomy from across these stakeholder groups.

To read the National Skills Discussion Paper and to lodge a submission, see the NST Discussion Paper Consultation page.