Employment and Skills Strategies in Australia focuses on the role of local employment and training agencies in contributing to job creation and productivity. It looks at the role of Local Employment Coordinators, introduced by the Department of Employment to work in 20 “priority employment areas” which were identified as needing extra assistance following the global financial crisis. This report is part of a comparative OECD review of local job creation policies, which explores how countries are putting measures in place at the local level to stimulate quality employment, social inclusion and growth.
Slower growth in key markets like China and India is reducing momentum across the Australian economy, cutting into employment opportunities and putting more pressure on the government to ensure that public policy delivers optimal results for growth and job creation.
A new report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development finds that local employment and training agencies could play a greater role in contributing to both job creation and productivity. The report, Employment and Skills Strategies in Australia, emphasises the importance of better coordinating employment and training programmes, to ensure alignment with employer needs while better tackling unemployment, addressing skills shortages and helping young people find jobs.
Reforms to Australia’s employment services system, notably the creation of workforce boards in regions and communities to better engage employers, could turn the workforce development system into a genuine tool for local job creation, economic development and business expansion, according to the report. To achieve these objectives, employment services programmes should be designed to ensure that job seekers’ skills are aligned to new areas of growth.
The review by the OECD LEED Programme looks at the role of Local Employment Coordinators, introduced by the Department of Employment to work in 20 “priority employment areas” identified as needing extra assistance following the global financial crisis. The review is part of a new OECD series focusing on the role employment and training agencies in job creation and productivity across 12 OECD countries.
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Table of Contents
Executive summary
Reader’s guide
Chapter 1. Policy context for employment and skills in Australia
- Australia’s economy and political administration
- The governance framework for employment policies
- Vocational education and training policies
- Economic development policies
- Summary of institutional arrangements
- Recent policy developments
- Policy responses during the crisis
- References
Chapter 2. Overview of the Australian case study areas
- Overview
- Ballarat-Bendigo Priority Employment Area, Victoria
- Ipswich-Logan Priority Employment Area, Queensland
- The balance between skills supply and demand
- References
Chapter 3. Local Job Creation Dashboard findings in Australia
- Overview of results from the Local Job Creation Dashboard
- Theme 1: Better aligning policies and programmes to local economic development
- Theme 2: Adding value through skills
- Theme 3: Targeting policy to local employment sectors and investing in quality jobs
- Theme 4: Being inclusive
- References
Chapter 4. Towards an action plan for jobs in Australia: Recommendations and best practices
- Better aligning policies and programmes to local economic development
- Assessment of the Priority Employment Area Initiative/Local Employment Co-ordinator Model
- Adding value through skills
- Targeting policy to local employment sectors and investing in quality jobs
- Being inclusive
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