Have your say on occupational shortages through Jobs and Skills Australia’s (JSA’s) 2026 Occupation Shortage List (OSL) Survey. Your input will help JSA identify occupations where employers struggle to fill job vacancies. This information will be used to determine eligibility for government support programs, such as the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List and Core Skills Occupations…
Skills Insight was honored to attend and share in celebrating the 2025 Australian Training Awards, held on Friday 5 December at the Darwin Convention Centre. Among the finalists were individuals and organisations making significant contributions to industries we support. Dion Sands, a proud descendant of the Gunggandji people, was awarded runner up Aboriginal and Torres Strait…
Jobs and Skills Australia is inviting stakeholders to participate in the 2026 Occupation Shortage List (OSL) Survey. This is your chance to share insights on labour market trends and help ensure the accuracy and relevance of the upcoming OSL. The survey will open on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, and close on Wednesday, 18 March 2026. If…
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has released the latest VET National Data Asset (VNDA) report. The results show VET graduates continue to receive immense benefit from their qualifications. Importantly, this includes First Nations people, women and people with disability. VNDA uses a range of data to track changes to students’ income, employment and reliance on income support, both before and after training. This financial year, graduates had a median income uplift of $14,100 and earned a…
Skills Insight welcomes the Queensland Government’s support for 15 schools joining the Agribusiness Gateway to Industry Schools Program. The program connects students and teachers with farmers, agri-tech innovators and industry leaders, providing hands-on experience and clearer pathways to careers in the agricultural industries. Initiatives like this are vital for attracting and retaining the next generation of skilled workers.
The Minister for Education, the Hon. Jason Clare MP introduced legislation to establish the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC). A key objective is to break down silos between VET and university education and expand access for disadvantaged students. ATECs establishment was a headline recommendation from the 2022-23 Australian Universities Accord; a 12-month review of Australia’s higher education system. The Commission is tasked with creating a better and fairer tertiary education system that delivers for students and on…
The Australian Government has announced changes to the employer incentives for priority apprenticeships. The changes will reshape how financial support is distributed across different occupations, with impacts on many of the industries we support. Industries within the identified Key Apprenticeship Priorities (KAP) will receive additional support, while those not within the identified KAPs may receive reduced levels of support. The government is extending its $5,000 financial incentive for employers who engage apprentices in the KAP sectors of…
Skills Insight has responded to the discussion paper on a Revised Methodology for the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List. Our submission, informed by engagement and research, highlights concerns that the proposed methodology could systematically disadvantage essential industries and the communities they support. Notably, sixteen additional occupations within Skills Insight’s coverage risk exclusion from the Priority List if…
Australia’s labour market is undergoing significant structural change, with growing demand for higher-skilled roles and emerging technologies reshaping work. Through our engagement with industry and training leaders, we continue to hear the pressing need for improved matching between the skills Australians bring and the opportunities available to them, particularly for underrepresented groups. The Jobs and…
Jobs and Skills Australia has released the annual Occupation Shortage List (OSL), for 2025. According to this year’s list, 29% of occupations were in national shortage, down from a peak of 36% in 2023. The OSL identifies which occupations are in shortage and where, providing information to inform government decision making and support. It includes…
The Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is calling for stakeholders to have their say on the implementation plan for Australia’s Strategy for Nature. Consultation is open until 15 October 2025. The plan will guide how governments, communities, businesses and individuals can work together to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by…
Our Stakeholder Forum recently met face-to-face to discuss Jobs and Skills Council work priorities. The Forum brings together a group of industry leaders who together represent more than 70 unique sub-sectors across agribusiness, fibre, furnishing, food, animal and environment care. The group discussed productivity, regional and remote priorities, and skills leadership to help guide Skills…
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) is undertaking consultation on the 2025 Core Skills Occupations List (CSOL), which identifies occupations to be included under the employer-sponsored temporary Skills in Demand visa as part of the national migration strategy. Skills Insight has identified the occupations identified in the CSOL that relate to the industries we work with, which includes…
Australia’s VET qualification design is transitioning to a new approach, designed to improve quality, reduce complexity and provide opportunities for new and adaptable approaches to qualifications. An updated Training Package Organising Framework is available to view and will come into effect 1 July 2025. Skills Insight is currently exploring what opportunities the new approach might offer for addressing the unique challenges…
