The BCA welcomes the inclusion of a demand led approach to addressing the workforce needs of business, with the release of the Rebuilding Employment Services report by the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services.

Too many Australians are left out of work because the current services are not designed to meet the demands of business.

Structuring the employment services so that they respond to real demand is the most effective way of supporting people into jobs, as it matches workers with real jobs that will be sustainable and ongoing.

The link between employment services, the broader education and skills system (government, VET and tertiary sector) and business is critical.

The recommendation to create a dedicated employer-focused service, as a one-stop-shop for businesses is supported, along with a regional approach to partnering with providers, employers and other key stakeholders to deliver targeted demand driving employment projects.

We also welcome the review’s finding to consider allowing specialised job marketplaces like SEEK and LinkedIn to do the heavy lifting in employment services. Rather than seeking to duplicate specialist jobs marketplaces, government could instead partner with these platforms. This would allow government resources to be redirected from a jobs marketplace, which is not meeting the needs of jobseekers or employers, towards support services for jobseekers with more complex needs.

There is a cohort of people who have been languishing on JobSeeker for a decade or more. We need better tailored support and plans, including access to foundational skills.

Unleashing the talent of people at all levels in the workplace will underpin Australia’s productivity, innovation, and the ability of business to grow.