Queensland's proposed responses to the challenges of skills for jobs and growth: A Green Paper
Released as a discussion paper in June 2005, the Queensland Government Green Paper, Queensland's proposed responses to the challenges of skills for jobs and growth [PDF 1MB], aimed to identify the most effective ways to address the skills shortages currently being experienced in Queensland.
The Green Paper was taken to the Queensland public for comment and feedback between the months of June and August 2005. Consultation feedback was considered in the development of the Queensland Skills Plan which was released in March 2006.
The key sections of the Green Paper are outlined below:
Green Paper - Premier's and Minister's foreword and introduction [PDF 81kB]
Green Paper - Priority 1: Tackling the urgent shortage of trades skills now [PDF 193kB]
Green Paper - Priority 2: Strengthening Queensland's skills base for the future [PDF 184kB]
Green Paper - Appendix [PDF 121kB]
Skills for Jobs and Growth - A Queensland Government Research Paper
This Research paper [PDF 624kB] undertakes the first, detailed analysis of the impact of globalisation on the Queensland labour market. The paper outlines current and potential skills shortages and identifies the jobs of the future and the skills we will need in Queensland to be able to match them together.
It identifies the major structural imbalance between the skill levels needed in the economy and the supply of people with those skills. The former Department of Employment and Training (DET) has estimated that 85% of jobs require or would benefit from tertiary qualifications, either from a university or vocational education and training (VET) provider. However, less than half of the working age population currently hold a tertiary qualification.
This Research Paper also identifies a seriously underqualified associate professional workforce and the need for increased training and skills for the associate professional, technician and trades workforce.
Skills shortages can not be solved without workplace reforms at the enterprise level. Employers will need to develop proactive skills recruitment, skills development and skills retention strategies to enable them to secure the skills needed in a complex environment, where structural skills deficits will persist and where the workforce is ageing.
Analysis has shown that the process of better skilling the population to meet the rapidly changing skills need of the economy is an extraordinarily complex issue. The findings of this research paper will support both the government and business and industry in planning to secure the skills needed to underpin the state's economic growth over the coming years.
This research paper supports the major review of Queensland's vocational education and training system and the detailed reforms proposed in the Green Paper on Queensland's Proposed Responses to the Challenges of Skills for Jobs and Growth.