Support for Government Initiatives

Skills Impact’s work with industry to support current and future skills needs puts us in a unique position to assist Government with its inquiries into industry workforce and skill needs and vocational education and training (VET) reform.

Skills Impact works daily with people in a wide range of industries. These stakeholders share with us their views about workforce skill challenges and opportunities, training, what is working, what needs changing and possible avenues for improvement. In turn, we pass on these views through engagement with committees and where requested make submissions to the relevant inquiries.

Discussion Paper on Improving Industry Engagement and Reforming Qualifications in VET

February 2021

The Australian Government is looking at expanding and strengthening industry involvement in the VET system. They are collecting feedback through a dedicated website for VET Reform, using surveys and discussion papers.

Skills Impact has responded to the surveys about Industry Engagement and Qualifications Reform. The questions touch on many of the challenges stakeholders have raised with us over the years. Our submission is a compilation of these broadly held industry views, as you have reported them to us. We outline the skills and training challenges and ideas for how these could be improved.

Download Skills Impact’s submission

Review of Agvet Chemicals Regulatory Framework

August 2020

An independent panel has been appointed to review the current agvet chemicals regulatory system.

Skills Impact’s submission outlines the process and functions of national, industry and government endorsed skills standards to support our recommendation that they are fit for purpose as the key instruments to inform and regulate the behaviour of a wide range of users of agvet chemicals including suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, and end users.

Download Skills Impact’s submission

Productivity Commission Study into the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development

December 2019 – November 2020

The Productivity Commission has been tasked to examine the effectiveness of the agreement between the Commonwealth and the states/Territories that creates the foundations for the VET system. This agreement is expiring and all governments have committed to entering a new agreement. They are seeking advice about how the agreement can be updated to improve VET outcomes and the clarity of the roles of each of the bodies involved in the VET system.

Skills Impact supports the Productivity Commission’s recommendations for reviewing the whole of the training package reform process, including the clear need to re-examine the vetting procedures that add extensive time to product development. Further information, including additional proposals for specific reform, are described in Skills Impact’s response to the interim report.

Download Skills Impact’s response to the Issues Paper (December 2019)

Download Skills Impact’s response to the Interim Report (July 2020)

Skills for Victoria’s Growing Economy Independent Review

June 2020

The Victorian Government appointed Jenny Macklin to Chair an independent review of Victoria’s post-secondary education and training system, because post-secondary education and training – including TAFE, universities, Learn Local, registered training organisations and dual-sector universities – is vital to the State’s future prosperity.

Skills Impact’s submission to this review is a comprehensive description of VET sector issues and proposed improvements based on our ongoing discussions with stakeholders we work with. It addresses some of the questions that the Skills for Victoria’s Growing Economy Issues Paper March 2020 posed for industry.

Download Skills Impact’s submission

Senate Inquiry into growing Australian Agriculture to $100 Billion by 2030

December 2019

On Thursday, 22 August 2019, the Minister for Agriculture, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie, asked the Committee to inquire into and report on growing Australian agriculture to $100 billion by 2030.

Skills Impact provided a broad submission about vocational education and training (VET) for agriculture to this Senate Inquiry, with a focus on upskilling existing industry personnel. Topics included occupational classifications (including a recommendation to refresh ANZSCO classifications), gap analysis, industry leadership, and challenges associated with regional, rural and remote training delivery.

Download Skills Impact’s submission

Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System

January 2019

On 28 November 2018, the Prime Minister announced an independent review of Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector to examine ways to deliver skilled workers for a stronger economy. The review was led by the Honourable Steven Joyce, a former New Zealand Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment.

Skills Impact’s submission to the review was based on the views of the stakeholders we interact with. It identified what we believe is currently working well within the VET sector and what improvements can be made.

Mr Joyce delivered the final report to the Government in March 2019. On 2 April 2019, Government released its Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow package which responds to recommendations of the review.

Download Skills Impact’s submission