The Andrews Labor Government has today released its Skills Plan, which will see a collaboration between TAFEs, training providers, universities, adult and communication education providers, industry and unions to ensure Victoria has the jobs it needs for the future.
The plan provides the most comprehensive overview of the state’s labour market to date, outlining the immediate challenges and opportunities in joining up skills and training with jobs to deliver the workers industry needs and create great career opportunities for more Victorians.
The Skills Plan shows that Victoria will need an extra 373,000 workers across 13 key industries by 2025, providing a clear picture of skills needs and job opportunities in every part of the state over the next three years – a detailed picture of the sector that will make Victoria far better equipped to build the workforce of the future.
The Victorian Skills Authority will drive delivery of the Skills plan through continuing to bring together the key stakeholders of the skills sector – industry, unions, training providers and learners – and work together to improve skills and employment outcomes.
The plan delivers a blueprint for TAFEs, universities and training and education providers to plan their courses to match local industry and community need – and, armed with greater knowledge of in-demand local industries and training opportunities, will support learners and jobseekers to make the best choices for their future.
Of the new workers required across Victoria, 90,000 new workers will be needed in the service sector, 65,000 in health and community services and 64,000 in the professional, financial and information services sector. An extra 82,000 workers will be needed in regional Victoria.
The Skills Plan delivers on a key recommendation of the Labor Government’s Macklin Review by bringing together industry and training providers, using evidence drawn from more than 60 local, national and global sources and 150 consultation forums with industry, employers, unions, education and training providers and learners.
The plan highlights nine regional snapshots and profiles, addressing the key occupations, industries and actions to bring skills needed to the regions.
It also identifies 11 actions the Government will undertake – partnering with government, industry, employers, unions, training providers and learners – to address priorities in skills provision, helping to reform the training and skills sector and enable learners and workers make informed skilling and career choices – starting at senior secondary school.
The Victorian Skills Plan is available at
Quotes attributable to Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney
“Free TAFE has brought more women, mature-age students, unemployed people, neurodiverse students, culturally diverse students, and students with a disability into TAFE courses - and thanks to the Skills Plan, we'll be able to put more Victorians into great new jobs and careers."
“Working shoulder to shoulder across industry, unions, training providers and government will mean we can work with one purpose in mind – a high quality, accessible training system that delivers what students and employers need.”
“Our record investment in TAFE and the training and skills sector since 2015 has achieved strong, future-focused outcomes, with more than 115,000 Victorians having signed up to a Free TAFE course saving them $281 million.”
Quotes attributable to Victorian Skills Authority CEO Craig Robertson
“The Skills Plan provides comprehensive, robust data and analysis – tested with industry and other stakeholders – to inform the targeting of funding and training activity for vocational education to meet industry and community needs.”
Reviewed 23 August 2022