Some regional areas of NSW are experiencing youth unemployment rates in excess of 20 per cent. Despite this, more than half of employers in NSW say they are experiencing skill shortages. Sadly, more often than not young jobseekers don’t have the training or skills to secure these opportunities.

The need for skilled workers in NSW will become even more urgent as the state embarks on a period of record investment in infrastructure. The next four years will see around $87 billion invested in significant state infrastructure including: new hospitals; schools; airports; and roads across the state.

This investment provides a once in a generation opportunity to train our future labour force and importantly kick-start the careers of thousands of young NSW jobseekers.

IMPROVING WORK SKILLS OUTCOMES

Business NSW is working hard to increase employment opportunities, particularly for young people. We aim to do that through supporting more effective school-to-work programs, increasing employment participation and driving productivity.

We’re taking a proactive, hands-on approach with our Workforce Skills Policy Committee. It oversees our employment, education and training policy development with the mission to improve training and skills outcomes for young people, job-seekers and employers.

Business NSW engages with state and federal governments to ensure your concerns about employment, education, training and skills issues are front and centre on the agenda of decision-makers.

OUR CURRENT ADVOCACY AGENDA

Business NSW takes a proactive approach to develop policy solutions designed to support long-term economic growth. Our current advocacy agenda includes:

• improving the targeting of government funding allocations to achieve optimal employment and productivity outcomes
• reducing levels of youth unemployment through improved job-seeker, school, vocational and university student transitions to the workforce
• increasing the availability of work-experience in schools and school-based apprenticeships and traineeships
• increasing the quality and availability of industry-led careers advice
• increasing accountability among education and training providers for quality, productivity, efficiency, and equity in delivery
• developing Curriculum and Training Packages focused on skills relevant to the workforce
• reducing barriers to employer uptake of Australian Apprenticeships
• supporting a flexible, skilled migration system to respond to emerging skills and labour shortages.