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This publication consolidates a body of research conducted over the past few years on the topic of training provided by employers for their workforces. Two well-established findings about employer-provided training form the backdrop to this research: (1) The provision of training and its associated expenditure are highly variable across employers, notably by industry and employment size; (2) Employer engagement with the formal system of vocational education and training (VET) is substantial, and growing, but a number of employers are not satisfied with what the system has to offer them. The report categorises training into structured and unstructured training as well as accredited and unaccredited training. It looks at how much training employers provide, why employers provide training, how they choose what kind of training to provide, how they find out what training is available and why they do or do not choose nationally accredited training. Key messages from the research include: employers provide training because they expect it to benefit their organisation; there are differences in how employers meet their skill needs dependent on enterprise size and industry sector; employers choose the form of skill development that best suits their needs; and employers are generally aware of the formal VET system offering nationally recognised training, finding it complex and difficult to navigate. Show less

The requirements for skills in Australia are changing rapidly, reflecting the economic and social impact of developments in the world economy. The demand for skills is expanding from a relatively narrow range of technical and job-related competencies to include a broader range of generic and transferable skills. This publication gives a brief snapshot of recent research into issues affecting the demand and supply of skills in relation to Australia’s education and training sector.

A companion volume discussing these issues in greater detail may be found at TD/TNC 70.03. Show less