Workforce development
What is workforce development?
Skills Queensland's role in workforce development
Workforce development initiatives
Workforce development plans
What is workforce development?
Workforce development incorporates both the planning and the development of a workforce. The broad definition of workforce development is to "have the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time". It is an integrated approach which encompasses a broad range of activities that industry sectors and enterprises use to ensure that they have the skilled workforce required to meet their current and future needs.
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Skills Queensland's role in workforce development
The role of Skills Queensland is to support and encourage employers to take the lead in workforce development and through improvements at the enterprise and industry level. Government must ensure that current and future investment in Queensland is supported by a skilled labour force.
At the strategic level Skills Queensland supports broader workforce planning and development particularly at the sectoral, industry and regional level. Priority industries have been determined on the basis of where the 'shocks' in the economy are the greatest and where there is significant structural adjustment occurring. Skills Queensland has supported specific interventions in Gladstone, the Surat Basin, the Bowen Basin and the Galilee Basin regions to address the challenges the resources boom has presented.
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Workforce development initiatives
Skills Queensland funds ongoing workforce development initiatives such as the Strategic Investment Fund; the Workforce Development Program (including Skills Formation Strategies); and the Gateway to Industry Schools Program.
The Strategic Investment Fund
While this program funds a small component of workforce development, its main focus is training to those industries that are facing employment growth and workforce development challenges relating to structural adjustment or inefficient skilling pathways. These industries are important to the continued development of the economy, and face strong employment growth and significant workforce development challenges. Read more about the Strategic Investment Fund.
The Workforce Development Program
Funding is made available for innovative, one-off projects that address skills and workforce development needs and are consistent with identified priorities. Projects provide an integrated approach to understand the underlying causes of skills shortages in different industries and regions and develop appropriate solutions. Download the full list of current workforce development approved projects.
Skills Formation Strategies
Skills Formation Strategies sit within this program and provide stakeholders with a model to work collaboratively in identifying common workforce development issues and developing actions and strategies to resolve them.
The Gateway to Industry Schools Program
The Gateway to Industry Schools Program provides an opportunity for industry to work with young people. It gives young people a chance to consider career opportunities and industry an opportunity to attract young people to their industry.
Workforce development plans
Skills Queensland's annual investment plan identifies priorities for government investment in skills, qualifications and workforce development. Read more about the investment plan and Skills Queensland's Resources Skills and Employment Plan and Surat Basin Workforce Development Plan developed in response to the resources boom.
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Last updated:12/07/2012