ATSE welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee’s inquiry into new legislation, the Jobs and Skills Australia Bill 2022 [Provisions] and the Jobs and Skills Australia (National Skills Commissioner Repeal) Bill 2022 [Provisions]. In this submission, ATSE makes the following recommendations to strengthen Jobs and Skills Australia:
Recommendation 1: Add a function under Section 9 to provide for Jobs and Skills Australia to create and administer a national skills register.
Recommendation 2: Amend Section 9 to require Jobs and Skills Australia to conduct research and analysis and advise the Minister on workforce equity and diversity.
Recommendation 3: Amend Section 9 to specify that Jobs and Skills Australia must undertake forecasting up to fifteen years in the future.
Recommendation 4: Amend Section 10c to explicitly include the learned academies as bodies that Jobs and Skills Australia must consult and work with.
Recommendation 5: Create a board of Jobs and Skills Australia, with industry representatives, and enshrine this in the legislation