INDUSTRY LEADERS TO DISCUSS FUTURE SKILLS

Industry leaders across 11 key sectors will meet with the Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations and Minister for Women, the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer to discuss skills and workforce issues in Melbourne next week.

Hosted by Australian Industry Standards (AIS), the dinner meeting will be facilitated by prominent journalist and author Kerry O’Brien and will focus on future skilling the workforce. Leaders from Industry, Government, the education sector, and unions will discuss skills – now and for the future, challenges and opportunities in building a highly productive workforce and ensuring Australia remains globally competitive.

The Melbourne leaders’ meeting is part of a series of forum consultations that AIS is holding across the country to explore future skilling in an age of digital transformation and new thinking about jobs and careers.

AIS is a Service Skills Organisation that supports Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) in developing qualifications and skills standards for the aviation, transport and logistics, maritime, energy, water and utilities, public safety, police, Defence and corrections industries. Collectively these industries employ almost 10% of the Australian workforce, adding $174 billion to the Australian economy.

With the rapid growth in technology set to continue dramatically, the work profile of nearly every job is being affected. This digital transformation is bringing about efficiencies in productivity, but it impacts people and has led to skills gaps that can be difficult for businesses of all sizes to navigate.

The message from the forums is clear – industry and the tertiary sector, particularly Vocational Education and Training providers, need to work together to ensure our workforce is prepared for the future. Big issues like supporting career choice for young people, increasing participation by women in the workforce and improving digital literacy skills will need to be tackled.

AIS will draw on the intelligence gathered through these consultations to influence skills and workforce development policy. This is presented to the Federal Government in key documents called IRC Skills Forecasts.

AIS is holding eight Industry Skills Forums across the country, with the dinner meetings preceding each forum. The Melbourne forum on 30 October will be live streamed.

For more information and to register for the free Industry Skills Forums go to www.futureskilling.org.au