Greater Whitsunday Alliance

Response:

The proposal is designed to ensure that a wide range of perspectives are considered, including jurisdictional and regional needs from across skills and industry. As the future for most companies will likely be shaped by some combination of 1) technology 2) ESG (environmental, social and governance) and 3) geopolitical drivers, it is important to note that companies will require significant changes in skillsets.   Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3) recommends that in addition to a mix of tripartite representatives on the advisory body, that serious consideration is given to the inclusion of decarbonization workforce planning experts. This will help to ensure adequate planning and labour analysis is considered to respond to shifts in skills and labour needs, at this time of significant economic transition. 

Response:

Improved identification of skills and labour imbalances are needed for the development of a workplan. The digital skilling of the workforce, including the education and training pipeline and pathways, requires significant forward planning before capabilities can be realised. This forward planning also requires a priority focus on improved identification of connectivity gaps to better inform workforce issues and a strategic workplan. 

Principles that can be used to guide priorities should include:
•	Industry focused approaches
•	The importance of skills transferability 
•	Place-based responses.  

Response:

As a regional economic development body, based in Northern Australia, GW3 consistently observes a lack of genuine place-based analysis of future workforce demands.   Genuine collaboration with regional economic agencies will remedy this. 

Enhanced analysis of regional skills and labour needs also requires a greater understanding of the ‘perception challenges’ faced, in the development and refinement of workforce attraction strategies for Jobs and Skills Australia's workplan. There is a perception by those living in metropolitan areas that moving to the region will mean a step down in their career trajectory or that the only careers available in regional Australia is in agriculture or mining. The reality is far from that.  Careers in regions are diverse and well paid and not limited to mining and agriculture.  The social and liveability infrastructure in regions like the Greater Whitsunday are robust and attractive. However, it is difficult for one region to turn the tide of misconception around the credentials of regional Australia and a more proactive regionalisation agenda would go a long way to supporting growth in regional Australia’s workforce.

Response:

Opportunities for engagement on preliminary findings for major studies would be welcomed prior to the finalisations of these studies. To help validate and strengthen findings, tools such as opinion polls, focus groups or further requests for submissions on discussion papers. This helps increase the level of engagement, develops a deeper evidence base around the unique and varying characteristics of Australians’ labour market needs, to ensure Jobs and Skills Australia's workplan is responsive. 

Global breadth and local depth are key ingredients to a successful workforce strategy that is tailored to a region’s needs. GW3 has invested a considerable resourcing into developing a suite of research with major global consultancy firms to create place-based workforce development policy. Invitations to consultancy firms for the submission of regional research conducted, to inform future work of Jobs and Skills Australia would go a long way to developing a more robust future workforce environment.

Response:

It is recognised that not all industries have then same workforce requirements.  Therefore, it must be acknowledged that not all workers will benefit from any one-size-fits-all approach. Critical to future workforce planning is understanding the needs of the ‘new workforce’. This ‘new workforce’ will require interventions that modernise the delivery of higher and vocational education to align the skills pipeline with the growing needs of industry. Additionally, GW3 strongly advocates for the collection of  of policy in action case studies. Inclusion of real, disruptive stories of innovative workforce thinking helps to operationalise action. Consideration to the concept of the platform economy should also be given.  The Platform Economy connects employers and employees via online digital platforms. As the platform economy evolves, there are both new opportunities and new challenges that arise with heightened complexity. The platform economy is disrupting the general concept of 'normal jobs'. One of the opportunities for Australia in the face of significant skills shortages, is to better understand how to enhance access to the global open talent economy. This additional information could assist businesses in accessing necessary skills that would better service Australia’s platform economy workforce needs.

Response:

Enhanced analysis of regional skills and labour needs can be expanded using state government existing ‘place-based’ jobs committees. In Queensland, this is the Regional Jobs Committee (RJC) model, faciliated by the Department of Small Business, Employment and Training. The RJC is one of the key actions of the Skills for Queensland strategy, which includes a strong focus on engagement and local leadership of skills and workforce challenges. The committees identify and address workforce issues within their region/community, drive job growth and plan for the future by:
-	identifying underutilised cohorts and/or barriers to training, workforce participation and business growth
-	developing strategies that address workforce and skills issues
-	identifying future community growth or industry expansion, and subsequent new skills while maximising employment opportunities
-	ensuring strategies are in place to support communities to grow their own workforce or access services to fill future jobs
-	providing connection between stakeholders.

The RJC bring together local business, government, community leaders, training providers, industry representatives, high schools and unions to ensure training and employment solutions are more accurately aligned with local skills needs and economic activity to support regional jobs growth.

Rather than duplicate or reinvent a model for local, place-based engagement – looking to tap into already existing program is the best way for the Jobs and Skills Australia to act with haste and purpose.

Response:

The discussion paper outlines an already-diverse range of stakeholders. To amplify information transfer to the SME level, stakeholders should include the Chamber of Commerce networks as well as peak economic development and industry bodies.  Utilising the Regional Development Australia networks as a conduit between federal aspirations and local place-based embedding is also strongly recommended.  Briefing sessions can also be delivered via webinars to create access on demand and increase access to key messages of advice, that will in turn facilitation better use of its products.

GW3 and our partners have successfully used persona-building to engage with stakeholders more effectively in the workforce development space. Building consumer personas to create a connection with the target audience has been highly effective.  For example, when trying to connect with a mining worker who may be thinking about their future; we create personas to tell the story:  

Jamie – Haul Truck Driver

Jamie is a truck driver who loves being outdoors and wants to work close to home because they have a young family.
•	24 years old
•	Isaac Region, Qld
•	No formal qualification
•	Competencies include:
	    >Conducting rigid haul truck operations
	    >Conducting articulated haul truck operations

Personas break down language barriers and make strategies and plans more meaningful to a broader set of stakeholders.

Response:

In addition to the use of persona-building as already outlined in Question 7, GW3 agrees with the channels identified in the discussion paper.   In the identified social media/web content format, to add further value, GW3 recommends the use of video explainers that provide key messages would be beneficial. Furthermore, inclusion/embedding of these video assets in reports that accompany the data aids to increase understanding of the advice. 

To assist in sharing of information to other stakeholders/agencies examples of policy in action, the inclusion of real stories, helps to operationalise action from the advice or workplan.

Presenting data and advice with a glossary of terms helps to increase understanding. It is often found there is a disparity between the language used in the training sector to that used in business/industry. Bridging the gap of understanding by utilising more common language would also aid stakeholders in helping to inform their work, from the data and advise that JSA presents.  

Response:

GW3 has a range of workforce research and analysis assets which we will happily share with Jobs and Skills Australia including:

>Mackay Isaac Whitsunday Future Employment Study – completed by KPMG 2020
>Greater Whitsunday Future Skills Roadmap – completed 2020

We also have recently completed the development of a Cross Industry Skilling Pathway model (and report) and the Greater Whitsunday Workforce Playbook.  These documents are available on request.