Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Australia is facing a massive shortage of skilled workers. This has huge implications for our economy, our productivity and our nation's future prosperity. The Albanese government understands this and, since coming to government last year, the Minister for Skills and Training has made it his mission to address this problem.

Firstly, the minister announced 180,000 fee-free TAFE places in sectors where there is a skilled worker shortage, including in aged care, child care, technology and construction. This initiative has been highly successful. In the first six months, we exceeded our target of 180,000 enrolments, with almost 215,000 Australians enrolling in a fee-free course. That's 215,000 people who are accessing high-quality training in areas where we need skilled workers. Demographic data also shows that fee-free TAFE is making inroads in supporting disadvantaged Australians, with enrolments including 50,849 jobseekers, 15,269 people with disability and 6,845 First Nations Australians.

We're not stopping there, with funding for a further 300,000 fee-free TAFE places starting next year. This is not only building skills and opportunities for rewarding, meaningful work; it is building our skilled workforce. And, importantly, it's giving students a substantial cost saving. For example, students undertaking a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care in Victoria are saving up to $8,700 because of the Albanese government's fee-free TAFE program.

As I move around the electorate, I'm often approached by people of all ages who are starting a vocational career or transitioning to a new one. At a recent market stall in Barwon Heads, a young woman, Michelle, approached me and shared her story about the impact that fee-free TAFE has had on her life. She said:

"I've wanted to change careers for some time. Child care has always appealed to me—I love kids—but I couldn't afford to do it."

"This has given me an amazing opportunity—one that I never thought would come my way."

Significant reforms are also underway to increase the number of apprenticeships, strengthen the VET sector, build a more constructive partnership with industry and training providers, and create more effective pathways to training and employment for people marginalised by age, health, gender, disability, culture, language or socioeconomic background.

Reform is the key after 9½ years of neglect by the coalition. In doing so, we build on the legacy of past Labor governments. Fifty years ago, the Whitlam government sought to significantly widen educational opportunities for all Australians and reform post-school training. The focus was on increasing participation, both at the school and tertiary levels, and it represented a dramatic social and cultural shift. Whitlam's government improved our tertiary education sectors, established national training and removed cost barriers for students. Today, the Albanese government is again reforming our vocational education and training sector. In the words of our Minister for Skills and Training:

TAFE is one of our greatest assets for ensuring our country is well positioned for future skills challenges, and meeting those challenges will be no small feat.

It will be no small feat because, when we came to government last year, it was clear that not only had we inherited $1 trillion of coalition debt but we were also left with a massive skills deficit.

According to the OECD, Australia is experiencing the second-most severe labour shortage in the developed world. Those opposite did little to support the TAFE and VET sector, and all those who look to this sector for vocational education and future employment have struggled because of it. In fact, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has called fee-free TAFE 'wasteful spending', and the last time the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Dickson, said the word TAFE in Parliament was in 2004—over 19 years ago. We're now rebuilding the sector because we understand that a strong VET sector is critical. We know a robust skills based economy will help to drive a strong renewable energy sector and, importantly, help us to meet our emissions target of 43 per cent by 2030 and net zero by 2050. That's why our government has established Jobs and Skills Australia and has invested $402 million in creating jobs and skills councils to help address skills shortages and workforce challenges.

The first major task of each jobs and skills council is to consult across industry sectors to develop workforce plans that address both existing and emerging skills needs. As the minister detailed to the House, JSCs will use industry based knowledge, understanding of trends and real-world experience to develop world-leading qualifications for workers and employers. By drawing on the best of industry knowledge and the expertise of educators, JSCs will be critical to delivering the skills our workforce and our economy need. We know that these JSCs are already making positive strides in meeting expectations. The ten councils are: energy, gas and renewables; agribusiness; early educators, health and human services; arts, personal services, retail, tourism and hospitality; public safety and government; manufacturing; finance, technology and business; mining and automotive; building, construction and property; and transport and logistics. The roles of JSCs and JSA are complementary and symbiotic. JSCs have deeper knowledge and connection to specific industries.

Our government knows that for far too long industry training bodies have often doubled up on course offerings, leading to duplication and inefficiency. Collaboration and sharing ideas across all sectors will see benefits for so many of our young people, local communities and small businesses. As the minister has made clear, these JSCs are off to a good start, having already built a cohesive network led by their new CEOs and boards. Together we want to achieve a training sector that anticipates the skills needs of industry, one which focuses on the needs of the learner. Currently, the average time to develop or update a qualification is 18 months. This is unacceptably long. World-leading qualifications are key to supporting workforce developments and a stronger, more resilient and productive economy. I know that the Minister for Education is working closely with the Minister for Skills and Training to better prepare young people for tertiary education, whether it be TAFE or university.

The Albanese government will continue to work with employers, unions, educators and state and territory governments, building relationships and putting in place the architecture for an inclusive vocational workforce. The mechanisms we are rolling out are already reaping results. Our government values TAFE and the vocational skills it delivers to power our economy, our productivity and our prosperity. We understand that good skills mean good jobs. That means a good future for our nation and, importantly, a good future for all Australians.

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