This purpose of the submission, to the Department of Employment, is to respond to the Exposure Draft for Employment Services 2015–20 Purchasing Arrangements by identifying how the government can optimise the new system to ensure it:

•    aligns with other policies and programs to encourage participation
•    addresses the vocational and non-vocational barriers to employment of disadvantaged jobseekers
•    engages effectively with employers.

The BCA welcomes the government’s redesign of Australia’s employment services contracts and the positive steps taken to shape a more outcomes-driven and employer-focused approach.

Effective support for jobseekers becomes more critical in a softening labour market, with unemployment at 6.4 per cent and youth unemployment at 14.1 per cent.

The recommendations in this submission are geared towards optimising the effectiveness of the new approach.

Submission to the Department of Employment on the Exposure Draft for Employment Services Contract 2015–2020