The South Australian Government has released a new skills policy for South Australia – the first in over a decade – which will drive reform and investment in training over the next 10 years.
Skilled. Thriving. Connected. - Our Policy Direction for Skills in South Australia outlines significant reforms for South Australia’s skills system to ensure the State has the skilled workforce it needs now and into the future.
Skilled. Thriving. Connected. supports the Government’s ambition to create a smart, sustainable and inclusive South Australia. It provides a bold vision to develop highly skilled people that contribute to a thriving economy, and who are supported by a connected skills system.
This means ensuring that South Australians have the skills they need for secure, well-paid careers, and industry has access to a highly skilled workforce and ongoing quality training opportunities, improving South Australia’s prosperity.
Key reforms set out in the new policy include:
- A stronger focus on learner wellbeing and completions – rather than focusing solely on commencements.
- Moving to a managed training system with greater government direction on where investment goes – better aligned to skills need and state priorities such as building and construction, defence, early childhood education and renewable energy.
- Placing TAFE SA at the centre of the skills system to deliver on government priorities, ensure regional communities have access to training, and drive collaboration with other training providers – with a strong role for not-for-profit, industry and other non-government training providers to complement TAFE SA’s public provider role.
- Having a greater emphasis on ensuring the quality and integrity of training providers and employers.
- Requiring employers, unions, and industry to actively engage.