Submission on Input into the Co-Design of the National Skills Commission and Skills Organisations

The skills package announced by the Federal Government in the April 2019 Budget is a significant and welcome step along the path to improving the vocational education and training (VET) system. At the heart of the proposed new arrangements is the National Skills Commission. In acknowledgement of focus and progress, the Australian Chamber welcomed the Vision for VET that was agreed by COAG at its August 2019 meeting. It is important now that this vision be validated by consultation with industry, and that industry be involved in the drafting of a roadmap to reform. One of the key omissions from the Vision statement is a commitment by all jurisdictions to real funding growth for VET and consistency not just between jurisdictions but within them. Other sectors in education take funding growth for granted and focus their advocacy on how big that growth should be. But this situation has eluded VET, which instead has seen funding rise and fall more than once at both State and Federal level over the last two.