Background

Skills Australia

Skills Australia was announced in the Australian Government’s Skilling Australia for the Future    (365.7 KB) policy as a body to provide advice to the Minister on current, emerging and future workforce development needs and workforce skills needs. Its objectives are to identify training priorities to respond to those needs, increase workforce participation, improve productivity and competitiveness, identify and address skills shortages and promote the development of a highly skilled workforce. 

Skills Australia was established by the Skills Australia Act 2008    (42.4 KB), which received Royal Assent on 20 March 2008.  The Skills Australia Act 2008 establishes the operational arrangements to support the independent body and specifies that members be appointed by the Minister and must have experience in academia, the provision of education and training, economics and industry. 

The membership of Skills Australia was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister, The Hon Julia Gillard MP, on 17 April 2008.  The members are Professor Gerald Burke, Ms Sharan Burrow, Dr Michael Keating AC, Ms Marie Persson, Mrs Heather Ridout, Mr Keith Spence and Mr Phillip Bullock appointed to Chair.

The first meeting of Skills Australia, held on 28 May 2008 in Parliament House, was launched by the Prime Minister, The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, and Deputy Prime Minister, The Hon Julia Gillard MP. 

Further updates on the progress of the establishment of Skills Australia and its related consultation processes will be made available through this website.