A National brain drain, skills shortages and rapid digitalisation mean that Australia needs its future workforce to be more resilient and responsive to ensure enough workers are in roles where they are needed the most. The Western Australian (WA) Pathways to Post-School Success (PPSS) discussion paper is timely in addressing the need for equitable access to senior secondary pathways and building a skilled workforce. ATSE welcomes the analysis of WA’s senior secondary pathways and supports preparing WA students with the skills and knowledge required to enter the workforce and face the challenges of post-school life.
ATSE makes the following recommendations for the PPSS discussion paper:
Recommendation 1: Provide equal access to resources, opportunities, infrastructure and teaching quality to support all WA senior secondary students.
Recommendation 2: Develop strategies that resource schools to equip STEM teachers with essential skills to attract, motivate and retain STEM-skilled teachers, for example, through the STELR program.
Recommendation 3: Embed equity and diversity into the core framework of the Pathways to Post-School Success reforms.
Recommendation 4: Align WA educational outcomes to the National Skills Taxonomy being developed by Jobs and Skills Australia.
Recommendation 5: Consider senior secondary students’ positive wellbeing as a stand-alone objective in the Pathways to Post-School Success reform.
Recommendation 6: Encourage role modelling and storytelling to improve students’ exposure to different career pathways and improve career confidence.