Peter Tatham Executive Director Career Industry Council of Australia Skill Shortages Myth or Reality? Developing the really big skills.

Peter TathamExecutive Director

Career Industry Council of Australia

Skill Shortages Myth or Reality? Skill Shortages Myth or Reality?

Developing the really big skills

Speakers

Anna Henderson – Business Skills Victoria David Henderson – Transport & Logistics

Industry Skills Council Phillip McKenzie – ACER Research Pam Jonas – Group Training Australia

Vision

To enhance participation and productivity by advocating the individual, social and

economic benefits of quality career development

for all Australians.

Reasons for skills shortagesstrong economy with low rates of unemployment; growth of new industries with few ready-skilled tradespeople

available; relocation of new industries into different regions with a different

skills base; reduced interest in particular industries among potential job

seekers; location of industry, or project-based work, in rural or regional

areas with a small skills base; technology changes within an industry, especially production,

resulting in new methods and therefore skills needs; and changes in underpinning skills needs to successfully undertake

trade training for example, Year 12 mathematics for some trades. Source DEEWR

Source:DEEWR

Impacts – global

76 million unemployed youth worldwide – global unemployment currently 198 million

Global unemployment to increase by 25million by the end of 2009 (OECD)

US economy lost 663,000 jobs last month (5million lost since last recession – UR 8.5%

Potential for unemployment to reach unprecedented levels in developing economies

Source –ILO January update

Impacts – global

Biggest drop in global economic output ever.

In the past two months US imports have been down 22%; and Japan's exports down 45%. I

Metal prices could be a make or break for this economy. It is likely that the Asian region will remain a global engine at a time when global employment has dropped by 50 million.

  What is needed is greater support for innovation. Innovation

drives productivity growth and competitiveness in firms.   Source – Economist Chris Caton

Impacts – Local

Australia's unemployment rate jumped half a per cent in March to 5.7%

Thirty-eight-thousand-nine-hundred full-time jobs were lost in March, while 4,200 part-time positions were created.

651,000 people looking for work in Australia. Just over a year ago, unemployment stood at its lowest level for

more than 30 years, at 3.9 per cent Jobs in some industries will not return

NB Unemployment figures, calculated by the number of civilians aged 15 years and over who, during the reference week, worked for one hour or more, or had a job from which they were absent.

Source: ABS

Impacts – Local

ANZ survey indicates 147804 jobs advertised a week in March

Australia is in recession at a time when average household debt is around 150% of salary

labour force growth has slowed from well over 2.5% to just 0.9%.

Growth in March by 1200 to 10,742,100. Full-time employment increased by 33,700 to 7,670,700 and part-time employment decreased by 32,600 to 3,071,400."

Initiatives

$650 million Jobs Fund to help support local jobs and training through community projects in regions hardest hit by the economic downturn;

$20.8 million Local Employment Coordinators in seven key locations to coordinate efforts to support jobs and training;

$4 billion in new employment services which begin on July 1 and which will have stronger links to training opportunities;

$300 million to ensure redundant workers receive intensive assistance and support immediately rather than having to wait up to 3 months;

20,000 priority training places for people made redundant; $155 million in incentives to encourage employers, Group Training

Organisations and training providers to take on out-of-trade apprentices and trainees;

$30.2 million to expand the Australian Apprenticeship Access Program to provide at-risk jobseekers with the support undertake an apprenticeship or training; and

$950 Learning and Training Bonus for income assistance recipients enrolled in a structured training course.

We have a different ballgame Protect jobs

Maintain skills sets

Build human capital for the future

COAG and the government agendaA Compact with Young Australians;

A Compact with Australians who have been retrenched;

A Compact with Local Communities

Where does the career development agenda fit?

Career management skills include

Understanding one’s own strengths and weaknesses, and needs and wants

Ability to identify relevant opportunities Accessing career informationAbility to plan and take career-related

decisionsAbility to present oneself effectively in order

to gain access to courses or jobs Ability to network and build relationships.

See: Australian Blueprint for Career Development

Career development services can

Lead to people having a more positive and confident attitude towards their future career options

Increase knowledge and understanding of education and employment opportunities

Increase self-awarenessMake people more confident in their career decision

makingResult in a wider range of career options being

exploredImprove job-search skillsImprove job interview skills Lead to increased job-search behaviour and increased

participation in employment by the unemployedHave a positive effect upon academic achievement Increase the probability of successful transitions

between key points in the education system.

In relation to vocational education and training – career development services can:

Help to reduce dropouts and backtracking and improve flows between different levels of education

Improve transitions from education to the labour market and help to strengthen links between education systems and the labour market

Widen access to learning throughout all stages of life, including by those who have been away from formal learning for many years

Widen access to learning by groups who are under-confident in, unskilled in, or unused to negotiating access to complex learning systems.CICA. (2008).Toward a more Cohesive and Integrated National Career Development System.

COAGlifting the Year 12 equivalent attainment rate to

90 per cent by 2020 halving the gap for Indigenous students in

reading, writing and numeracy within a decade at least halve the gap in Year 12 or equivalent

attainment rates for Indigenous students by 2020 halving the proportion of Australians aged 20–64

years without qualifications at Certificate III level or above between 2009 and 2020

doubling the number of higher qualification completions (diploma and advanced diploma) between 2009 and 2020.

Underlying impact of career development

Contributes to:

Life long learningSocial equityLabour market

development OECD 2004

Examples of services

Career counselling Web based servicesCareer information provision (in print, ICT-based and

other forms)Assessment and self-assessment toolsCareer education programmes (to help individuals

develop their self awareness, opportunity awareness, and career management skills)

Taster programmes (to sample options before choosing them), work search programmes, and transition services

Help linesNetworking Mentoring Work integrated learning.

Self understanding

My Background and life rolesMy self image and confidenceMy valuesMy interests and passionsMy preferred lifestyleMy life goals and personal vision How I performMy skills and strengths.

Factors impacting on decisionsPerception Priority AcceptabilityRisk ResourcesReadyness Career maturity Decision making

approaches

Career management skills

Resilience Goals Values DemandsStyleJudgement

Three elements of Career Development & Workforce Development

Workforce preparation (focus on young people)

Workforce adaptability (focus on the employed workers and on employers)

Workforce reintegration (focus on adults entering or re-entering learning and work).

Career Services - add value Improve retention and completion rates

Support completion of apprenticeships and other vocational training

Improve social inclusion processes

Catalyst to productivity improvement

A go between - a major connecting agent between stakeholders.

Some elements of best PracticeHelps individuals take charge of their careerBuilds self understanding (personal capabilities,

skills, interests and values) through self assessment processes

Reviews past achievements and explores future directions

Develops career management skills and builds resilience

Strengthens opportunity awareness Develops career decision making (learning, work and

life)Develop priorities and strategies to get there

CICA proposes Improve marketing & development of a consistent brand Greater accountability requirements for education and

training providersStrengthening programs that encourage parental

engagementFully implement the Australian Blueprint for Career

DevelopmentPilot a national careers helpline targeting all Australians Establish a research centre and clearing houseA national taskforce for stakeholder involvementExpand Asia Pacific links.