Addressing Australia’s growing skills gap must be a priority if the Federal Government is committed to boosting productivity, growing the economy and reclaiming our competitive edge, according to the Business Council.

Business Council of Australia Chief Executive Bran Black said the Government’s announcement of an additional 20,000 Fee-Free TAFE places would assist in addressing workforce shortages in the construction sector.

“Attracting more people to the sector with high quality and Fee-Free TAFE training will be critical for Australia’s future,” Mr Black said. 

“Australia is currently facing a housing shortage which is impacting inflation and the economy, and on top of that our net zero transition will require a skills pipeline to underpin significant investments in areas such as infrastructure and defence.

“Increased demand will put pressure on the VET sector, we look forward to working with the Government on increasing teaching capacity and capability across the sector.”