National Skills Week from 19-25 August, will this year encourage all Australians to discover how Vocational Education and Training (VET) can be the ultimate game-changer in their own or their families’ careers and lives as well as highlight the game-changing impact skills has on Australia’s future and economy. Hence why this year’s theme is VET – It’s a Game-Changer!
Whether you’re a high school leaver, looking for inspiration of what courses to study to lead you on an exciting and rewarding career pathway, you’re a parent looking to guide your child, you’re a worker looking to upskill, re-skill or even switch careers and pursue a new passion, vocational education and training can literally change your life.
Investigate practical, real-world skills that you can apply immediately in the workforce, ensuring you are job-ready from the jobs of today and for the future.
The week will highlight the significant contributions of women in trades, the importance of Indigenous workforce participation, and the need for accessibility in remote areas. It will also highlight the most in-demand, highest growth industry sectors and sub-sectors such as manufacturing and digital skills as well as address skills shortages across a myriad of sectors.
Supported by the federal government, National Skills Week 2024 aims to celebrate the many and varied inspiring and heart-warming success stories and demonstrate how others can transform their lives by listening to those who have done it.
National Skills Week Chair, Brian Wexham, emphasises the importance of changing the perception of VET in Australia to highlight its benefits and address skill shortages effectively:
“We want to showcase that Vocational Education and Training has transformed lives in various aspects: career, money, community, climate, global, technology, health, mindset, personal development and more.”
“Choosing Vocational Education and Skills Training can be the ultimate game-changer in a person’s career and life—igniting paths to personal and professional success and giving them the competitive edge with skills and confidence to thrive.”
“By promoting future careers, highlighting skills shortages, and identifying emerging trends in Australia and the global economy, VET can deliver the skills needed in the country to boost Australia’s workforce in the coming years.”
“Apprenticeships are a cornerstone of the VET sector, and a high-quality apprenticeship pathway will continue to be critical to ensuring that Australia is able to respond to emerging skills needs and increasingly dynamic labour markets.”
In the lead up to National Skills Week, Professor Barney Glover AO, Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia will today address the National Press Club in Canberra on skills success in Australia. Aligning need with know-how.
According to the latest data from Jobs and Skills Australia, almost half (about 44%) of new jobs created in the next decade will require VET qualifications. Over 90% of new jobs will require post-secondary qualification.
The Skills Shortage Quarterly March Report offers analysis on occupations experiencing shortage pressures (please see report attached).
Some highlights from the March report:
- The national level fill rate increased to 64.3%, rising by 0.9 percentage points in March quarter 2024 and by 4.2 percentage points in the 12 months to the current quarter.
- Fill rates in metropolitan areas (66.7%) remain well above that of regional areas (59.4%), with the average difference in the fill rate between the two areas widening over time.
- There are acute shortage pressures in the Technician and Trades Workers major occupation group, with fill rates remaining low.
- A spotlight on the recruitment challenges of small businesses.
2023 Skills Priority List
Key findings from Jobs and Skills Australia 2023 Skills Priority List (SPL) shows that 36% of occupations were in national shortage (332 out of 916), about 5 percentage points higher than 2022 (31% of occupations) (Figure 3). (Please see attached List).
Comparisons with the 2022 SPL show that there were 66 occupations newly in shortage in 2023 but not in shortage in 2022. Most of the new shortages were concentrated among high-skilled Professionals.
There were also 266 occupations (or 29%) that were in shortage in both 2022 and 2023 SPLs. Among them, 47% were Professionals occupations, mostly related to health, engineering, information communication technology (ICT) and science roles. Another 33% were Technicians and Trades Workers occupations.
Across all three SPLs published from 2021 to 2023, 138 occupations were in shortage each year. For these occupations Professionals occupations made up 40% (55 out of 138), while Technicians and Trades Workers occupations comprised 49% (67 out of 138).
There were eight occupations where the shortages were confined to regional areas only. Half of these were Professionals occupations, reflecting the unique labour market characteristics that are observed in each state and territory. There were additional occupations in shortage or regional shortage that were not the case at the national level.
Top 20 largest employing occupations in shortage
Jobs and Skills Australia identifies the following Top 20 occupations in demand nationally:
| Job description | Years in shortage
|
Males employed (%) | Females employed (%) | Total employed |
| Aged or Disabled Carer | 3 | 23.3% | 76.7% | 227,500 |
| Retail Manager (General) | 2 | 49.8% | 50.2% | 183,500 |
| Primary School Teacher | 2 | 14.9% | 85.1% | 164,900 |
| Secondary School Teacher | 2 | 37.8% | 62.2% | 155,900 |
| Truck Driver (General) | 2 | 95.6% | 4.4% | 148,400 |
| Electrician (General) | 3 | 97.9% | 2.1% | 128,300 |
| Child Care Worker | 3 | 3.2% | 96.8% | 123,800 |
| Sales and Marketing Manager | 1 | 58.3% | 41.7% | 119,700 |
| Carpenter | 3 | 99.0% | 1.0% | 104,900 |
| Chef | 3 | 72.8% | 27.2% | 90,500 |
| Waiter | 1 | 25.6% | 74.4% | 86,900 |
| Motor Mechanic (General) | 3 | 98.1% | 1.9% | 79,300 |
| Solicitor | 1 | 45.7% | 54.3% | 69,700 |
| Fitter (General) | 3 | 97.9% | 2.1% | 68,500 |
| Construction Project Manager | 3 | 86.0% | 14.0% | 64,900 |
| Marketing Specialist | 2 | 37.4% | 62.6% | 64,500 |
| Software Engineer | 3 | 84.4% | 15.6% | 54,300 |
| Hairdresser | 3 | 16.2% | 83.8% | 53,600 |
| General Practitioner | 3 | 52.3% | 47.7% | 48,700 |
| Project Builder | 3 | 95.2% | 4.8% | 47,800 |
Partners of National Skills Week
Numerous VET organisations partner with National Skills Week and promote it in Australia.
This year’s Partners include:
- The South Australian Skills Commission (SASC)
- The National Careers Institute (NCI)
- Apprenticeship Support Australia
- Training Services NSW
- Queensland Government: Department of Employment, Small Business and Training
- Brick and Block Careers
- Victorian University
- MEGT
- Community Colleges Australia
- Build Skills Australia
The Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance
Sharon Robertson, CEO Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance explains: “As Australia’s fifth largest industry and growing, manufacturing plays a key role in the economy. With employment expected to grow by more than 16% by 2033, we want to ensure that the manufacturing industry can access workers with the skills needed to shape an innovative future made right here in Australia.”
“We are committed to delivering tangible solutions that address the skills and workforce challenges faced by the manufacturing industry. By focusing on practical, actionable strategies such as making manufacturing an attractive worker proposition, succession planning and mentoring, education and modelling best practice, we are building priority actions that can offer solutions to supply side skill shortages.”
“The 2024 Manufacturing Workforce Plan is the result of extensive consultation with employers, industry experts, training organisations and unions, ensuring that the solutions we propose are well-informed and supported. By incorporating diverse perspectives and expertise, we have created a comprehensive roadmap for workforce development that seeks to meet the industry’s skill shortages.”
“We are committed to delivering tangible solutions that address the skills and workforce challenges faced by the manufacturing industry. By focusing on practical, actionable strategies such as making manufacturing an attractive worker proposition, succession planning and mentoring, education and modelling best practice, we are building priority actions that can offer solutions to supply side skill shortages.”
Komatsu Australia: Komatsu Construction & Mining Equipment
Komatsu provides a comprehensive Youth Program to strengthen our connections with local communities, develop young talent, and showcase the diverse range of opportunities available to school students, school leavers and university students.
This program includes several key initiatives, including:
- Actively promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education through outreach programs at STEM fairs, school visits and interactive learning experiences that inspire young people to pursue technical careers.
- Conducting workshops and seminars on various technical topics related to heavy equipment and mining, tailored to different audiences, including students, educators, and industry professionals.
- Partnering with local organisations including Clontarf Foundation, Beacon Foundation, STEM Punks, Explore Careers, as well as schools, universities, and technical colleges. This collaboration includes guest lectures, curriculum development support, and hands-on learning opportunities to integrate technical knowledge into their programs and raise brand awareness.
- Offering host employment to students pursuing technical careers, providing them with work experience, internships, and support to advance their education.
- Attending careers fairs and expos to provide information about career opportunities in the industry, help students understand the diverse career paths available within Komatsu, and the skills required to succeed.
“Komatsu is committed to investing in young talent and developing a skilled workforce that can drive future innovations. Our Youth Program has been designed to develop the next generation of leaders and give them the skills they need to join the heavy equipment and mining industries,” said Zara Carey, General Manager People Experience.
“Once a young person is ready to start their career with Komatsu, we offer multiple pathways to employment including our award-winning and highly sought after apprentice program, with structured learning pathways, hands-on experience, and support from experienced mentors,” Zara said.
For more information on the Komatsu Apprentice program, visit www.komatsu.com.au.
Future Skills Organisation
Patrick Kidd, CEO of Future Skills Organisation, highlights the critical importance of digital skills in addressing national skill shortages. He emphasised that “Skills, training and workforce shortages have dominated headlines and troubled employers, especially in recent months. These are the skills that will help to improve productivity across the economy and National Skills Week is the opportunity to focus on what we need to do together as a country.”
Interview options / talent:
National Skills Week highlights the inspirational success stories of VET Alumni and Australian Apprentices or Trainees of the Year who hail from all parts of the country. There is a range of Vet Alumni available to showcase their success stories and inspiration.
These VET Alumni are available for media interviews and National Skills Week can facilitate connections for targeted stories on specific topics as needed.
Professional high res images of all individual VET Alumni can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/2e3lols6k8vzq8l78msls/ALXNfRxitNhV1BSwQMH2MZA?rlkey=e083pr5z0fmz3tv2nirhqbwgy&st=tz9hrmc1&dl=0
Government leaders, CEOs of industry bodies and organisations across industries facing the biggest skills shortages (healthcare, manufacturing, construction, mining, cyber security etc) are also available for interviews.
National Skills Week Chairman Brian Wexham is also available for interviews upon request.
For further expertise and insights into VET programs and success stories across sectors, please refer here to the 2024 Advisory Committee Members, who possess a wealth of information and knowledge.
For further information, visit www.nationalskillsweek.com.au
