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This paper analyzes the role of the agglomeration of highly educated employers on firms' utilization of fixed term contracts, an issue that the literature has not investigated so far. Taking advantage of a unique firm-level dataset provided by [Istituto per lo sviluppo della formazione professionale dei lavoratori = Institute for the Development of Vocational Training of Workers] ISFOL for 2010, [the authors'] findings demonstrate that the 'proximity' of graduate employers reduce significantly the firms' propensity to hire on a temporary basis. Then, [the authors] argue that knowledge spillover deriving from the human capital of employers represents a potential channel through which reducing the insider-outsider divide of labor market. Moreover, a number of econometric issues are considered to verify such a result: the skewed and bounded nature of the share of fixed term contracts, the endogeneity issues derived from the agglomeration effect as well as the cross section dependence problems affecting standard errors.

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Higher education will clearly be a major contributor to the development of a skilled Australian workforce but must address the rights of all citizens to share in its benefits. This review was established to address the question of whether this critical sector of education is structured, organised and financed to position Australia to compete effectively in the new globalised economy. The panel has concluded that, while the system has great strengths, it faces significant, emerging threats which require decisive action. To address these, major reforms are recommended to the financing and regulatory frameworks for higher education. Key reforms are to increase the number of university graduates by more than one-third and to determine university funding according to student demand using a voucher system. Recommendations affecting the vocational education and training (VET) sector include that: (1) VET and higher education providers should continue to enhance pathways for students through the development and implementation of common terminology and graded assessment in the upper levels of VET; (2) the Australian government negotiate with the states and territories to expand the national regulatory and quality assurance agency to cover the entire tertiary sector (including VET and higher education) and that the government assume full responsibility for the regulation of tertiary education and training in Australia by 2010; (3) the Australian government negotiate with the states and territories to introduce a tertiary entitlement funding model across higher education and VET commencing with the upper levels of VET (diplomas and advanced diplomas) and progressing to the other levels as soon as practicable; (4) the government negotiate with the states and territories to extend income contingent loans to students enrolled in VET diplomas and advanced diplomas; and (5) the Australian government and the governments of the states and territories agree to: establish a single ministerial council with responsibility for all tertiary education and training; improve the scope and coordination of labour market intelligence so that it covers the whole tertiary sector and supports a more responsive and dynamic role for both VET and higher education; and expand the purpose and role of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) so that it covers the whole tertiary sector. Show less

This guide has been prepared to provide an overview of the skill ecosystem approach in theory and practice. It is designed for use by government education authorities that may be interested in further developing this approach as well as for industry and regional organisations considering whether the skill ecosystem model of workforce development might be a useful one for them to pursue. The guide is in two parts. The first part introduces the skill ecosystem concept and discusses the skill ecosystem approach to workforce development. The second part draws on the experience of the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Education and Training (DET) in managing skill ecosystem projects. It describes the challenges faced by past projects in establishing and implementing their visions and proposes some strategies for achieving successful outcomes. Show less

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) commissioned the author to write a series of papers on social inclusion/exclusion in order to build the knowledge base on social inclusion. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Government. This briefing paper begins by examining the meaning of ‘social exclusion’, first by looking at European Union indicators, and then at definitions to arrive at a ‘plain English’ definition and its main drivers, and the economic benefits of greater social inclusion. The second part of the paper deals with the European Union framework of primary and secondary social inclusion indicators, highlighting acknowledged gaps. Show less

This paper summarises the findings of the project on Developing Effective Public-Private Partnerships in the [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation] APEC Region implemented under the Labour and Social Protection Network of the APEC Human Resources Development Working Group. Australia, represented by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) coordinated this self-funded project investigating the use of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the delivery of human resources development policies and programs with a particular focus on labour and welfare programs.

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The annual Survey of Employers' Recruitment Experiences in capital cities across Australia surveys employers about their recent recruitment activity and future employment expectations. The survey results provide insights into the levels of recruitment activity, the occupations for which employers had the greatest difficulty filling vacancies and the recruitment outlook. These reports and presentations provide labour market information and an analysis of the Survey of Employers' Recruitment Experiences for industry and regions located in more than one state or territory.

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The Australian government is aiming to improve remote participation and employment services and announced a review of existing arangements on 29 June 2011. New arrangements will be put in place by 1 July 2013 and the goal is that they be simpler, more integrated and more flexible than exising arrangements. Many people in remote areas lack the skills and work experience required to get and hold a job. Additionally, in most remote communities there are more job seekers than there are jobs. The new arrangements will focus on building individual capabilities, including foundational skills, improving employment services to get more people in remote locations into jobs and creating meaningful participation activities. The consultation strategy will be assisted by the Remote Participation and Employment Services Engagement Panel, and will involve community and stakeholder consultations. The consultations will guide and inform the design of the new arrangements. The purpose of this discussion paper is to gather public views on future arrangements for remote participation and employment services. The submission period ended on 12 October 2011.

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In the 2011-12 Budget, the Australian government released details of its Advancing Quality in Higher Education (AQHE) initiative designed to assure and strengthen the quality of teaching and learning in higher education. Three discussion papers were released on the proposed performance measurement instruments for student experience and quality of learning outcomes, and submissions from stakeholders were invited. This paper focuses on the development of an instrument appropriate for Australian universities in the context of the OECD’s Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO) project. As part of this project, the OECD has been investigating the feasibility of incorporating the Collegiate Learning Assessment as a measure of generic skills. The paper discusses the use of a ‘direct measure of learning outcomes’, such as the Collegiate Learning Assessment within the Australian government’s performance indicator framework for the quality of learning and teaching outcomes in higher education. Show less

This report provides an evaluation of the impact of changing economic conditions on Job Services Australia (JSA) from 1 July 2009 to January 2010 as specified in the JSA evaluation strategy (DEEWR 2009a). The major goal of this project is to assess the effect of the economic downturn on employment services, particularly with regard to: job seeker numbers and characteristics; the broad patterns of assistance provided by JSA; the costs to the Government of the assistance provided and the costs borne by JSA in providing that assistance; and the effectiveness of this assistance in achieving placements and outcomes.

The report begins with a description of the broad path taken by the economic downturn in Australia. Trends in job seeker numbers are examined closely in section three, particularly with regard to the gender, age and unemployment duration of clients. Preliminary analysis of job placements, service-based revenue and expenditure on clients is considered, although all three were still rising to their more normal operating levels when this analysis was undertaken. Section four examines trends in the placement of clients in JSA streams, while section five reports on trends in provider revenue and section six on job seeker expenditure.

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A number of recent reports have focused on the future skills needs of the green economy. These studies have suggested that there will be an increasing need for new skills relating to sustainability, and for training to supply those skills. However, there are significant gaps in current knowledge about Australian employers’ skills requirements in the context of the transition to a low carbon economy. The Skills for a Sustainable Future survey was developed as a contribution to addressing this shortfall. The survey looked at the impact of environmental and sustainability issues on employers across eight industries selected as likely to be significantly affected by climate change and the green economy, in small, medium and large businesses across Australia. In particular, it focused on skills and training needs generated by these issues. The survey is part of a broader suite of research funded under the Australian Government’s Skills for the Carbon Challenge initiative. This report by DEEWR’s Economic Strategy Group and Climate Change and Green Skills Taskforce, contributes to the building of an evidence base around skills requirements related to environmental and sustainability factors, and the associated education and training system responses.

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