A joint roundtable stemming from the collaboration between ACOSS, the BCA, and the ACTU found there are major barriers towards getting unemployed people into jobs and discussed the potential for new approaches such as ‘demand-led’ employment to meet the needs of both employers and people disadvantaged in the labour market.

The roundtable, held on December 13, 2012 and attended by 27 experts from business, unions, the community and other sectors, concluded that:

• The job support system should allow for employers and job service providers to work in partnership, often over long periods of time. The roundtable noted that the complexity of the current system, and the payment incentives under the current Job Services Australia providers are seen as a barrier to developing this type of partnership.
• Incentives should be geared towards finding a sustainable match between employers and jobseekers, rather than placing the jobseeker in the first job available, which may not be suitable for their skills and aptitudes.
• There is a need to improve the training system to provide more on-the-job training and work experience to jobseekers, who do not always learn well in a classroom environment.

The first-of-its-kind alliance between the three organisations was established earlier this month to tackle entrenched disadvantage by working collaboratively towards providing employment opportunities for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market, and giving employers access to workers who meet their skills needs.

Media Release on ACOSS, ACTU and BCA Roundtable Discussions on Demand-Led Employment Services

Demand-Led Employment Services Roundtable Report