Better Together - The Jobs and Skills Report 2024

Labour market insights are critical to understanding the functioning of our economy. They allow governments and other decision makers to monitor how well the economy is performing and help guide decision-making for the settings of policies that affect employment, workforce development, income, and societal wellbeing.

At their heart, however, labour market statistics are about people. They represent how people are engaged in our communities and society, and how they do or do not benefit from the significant forces shaping our economy. Because they sit at the critical intersection between economic and social analysis, these insights help us to understand the barriers to and enablers of success, and how to empower more people to access opportunities and the improved standard of living and wellbeing that comes with them.

As we face skills shortages across many industries and occupations, and while unemployment is at a relatively low level, there is an imperative to ensure that all Australians have access to opportunities to increase their skills, to gain qualifications, and to uplift their earning potential.

The work of Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) is central to this intent, and we are committed to ensuring our work has a strong focus on equity, access and inclusion across education, training and employment.

There is further work to be done to ensure more Australians can access secure, safe, and fairly paid work, and that Australia’s current and future skills challenges are overcome.

This is work that cannot be done alone. Achieving a truly dynamic, productive, and competitive economy – with sustained and inclusive employment – will require all participants in the system to move forward together with a strong focus on collaboration and providing more equitable access to opportunities.

A focus on inclusion of course means we must aim for the benefits of education, training, and employment to be within reach of more Australians. Critically, they must reach the people and communities who have historically been excluded or faced significant barriers to participation.

JSA is critical to the achievement of this collaboration, as our approach, our methods, and our systems must be inclusive. We must bring together the considerable expertise of our stakeholders to formulate more holistic understandings of our complex economic and social challenges. Our employment, skills, and migration systems must work in concert to ensure we have the right skills and capabilities to thrive as a nation.

Importantly, our higher education and vocational education and training sectors must work together to deliver a well-equipped and thriving workforce, enhancing lives and providing value for employers.

Above all, we must help more Australians access the social and economic benefits of participation.

Critical to this challenge is ensuring we have a well-balanced and aligned post-secondary education profile and encourage more young Australians to consider vocational education and training pathways to employment and further study.

This report has been prepared as required under section 27A of the Jobs and Skills Australia Act, 2022. It outlines evidence and analysis JSA has undertaken across 5 strategic pillars that inform our work and guide our advice to achieve a more prosperous future for all Australians.

By working together to foster inclusive participation, we can better understand today’s workforce, prepare for the opportunities and challenges of the future, optimise pathways and system architecture, and activate an informed dialogue between key stakeholders and decision-makers – achieving a fairer, more inclusive, and stronger Australian economy.

Broadening employment opportunities through identifying and removing barriers for people and communities.

Building the evidence base to inform and address current and emerging labour market and skills needs.
 

Projecting forward to plan for the opportunities and challenges of our nation’s future workforce needs.

Monitoring, analysing and advising on the effectiveness of the national skills system.

Convening stakeholders across the skills system, to provide the best evidence and advice on Australia’s current and future workforce and skills needs and opportunities.