The Hon. Minister for Skills Brendan O’Connor has announced the establishment of the new Jobs and Skills Council’s arrangements for Australia’s vocational training system. These new bodies will collaborate closely with Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), industry, and a range of key stakeholders to address the many workforce planning and skills development challenges facing the nation.
Australian Industry Standards (AIS) will establish the Jobs and Skills Council for Transport and Logistics across the supply chain which includes road transport, logistics, rail, aviation, maritime, omnichannel logistics and space transport industries.
“Whether it’s devastating floods, bushfires, the global pandemic or unexpected trade restrictions, it’s the resilience and strength of our nation’s supply chains that dictate how we fare as a society and how quickly our economy rebounds and grows.
“Led by industry, our model brings together leaders from right across Australia’s core supply chain sectors with the strategic goal of building a world class, resilient and agile supply chain workforce,” said AIS Chair and Linfox President of Human Resources Laurie D’Apice.
Under the new industry engagement arrangements, industry will have a determinative voice in identifying and prioritising workforce development needs and designing high impact solutions in collaboration with employers, unions, industry bodies, communities, training providers, universities and schools.
“There’s an enormous task ahead and much at stake. On top of established skills shortages, and major investment in infrastructure, our supply chains are being digitally transformed. It’s creating a vast upskilling and reskilling challenge that needs unprecedented levels of collaboration between stakeholders. AIS will bring the new thinking and high-level capability needed to ensure that as we work through the challenges, we leave no worker behind,” said AIS Director and National Secretary of the Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union Mark Diamond.
As a Jobs and Skills Council, AIS will have a broad range of responsibilities:
- Workforce planning to identify industry’s current and emerging skills needs, culminating in national workforce development plans
- Training product development to lift the quality, innovation and speed to market of training products
- Implementation of solutions, promotion of career pathways and monitoring the impact of training delivery
- Industry stewardship to give industry a strong, evidentiary-based voice on issues affecting their industries and to provide advice on VET system policies to ensure they are fit-for-purpose.
The Jobs and Skills Council’s will be established from January 2023 and will be in place for all major sectors of the economy.
“Our team at AIS brings unparalleled expertise in workforce planning and skills development, right from strategy through to implementation of solutions across industries, within enterprises and communities. We’re genuinely excited to leverage our capabilities, heritage, and trusted relationships, working with the wide range of stakeholders who are central to building a world class, agile and resilient supply chain workforce,” said AIS CEO Paul Walsh.
For expressions of interest, contact enquiries@aistnds.org.au.
For more information about the Jobs and Skills Councils arrangements, visit the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations here.