In the latest edition of the ACCI Review, ACCI examines the role that Australia's education and training system plays in workforce development and economic growth.
Australian industry needs a skilled, flexible, knowledgeable, and highly motivated workforce that contributes to productivity gains and drives economic growth and social wellbeing.
ACCI believes that in order to harness productivity gains through education and training reform, policy makers should adhere to a number of key objectives, including:
- ensuring that training initiatives are driven by industry need;
- securing jobs by ensuring that there is a best fit between the skills base required within the workplace and the training effort;
- planning for future skills needs;
- encouraging the retention of apprentices; and
- ensuring a strategic focus on job outcomes which does not result in 'churning' out more highly qualified individuals.
Education and training initiatives must be driven by industry need and be responsive to changing economic and technological circumstances.
The contribution of education and training will be important not just for building capability but also for addressing skill shortage problems.
