The VET era: equipping Australia’s workforce for the future digital economy

The VET sector provides Australians with the skills they need to participate in the labour market and Australia’s industries with the workers they need to drive the national economy. However, as digital technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous, business models and employment models are being disrupted and the capability of machines is increasing, enabling them to perform ever more complex tasks. These changes are already visible and will become more pervasive as digital technology continues to advance. The VET Era shows that the VET sector is already playing a critical role in delivering skills to the Australian economy, with current graduations correlating strongly with job vacancies. The research has also shown us that the sector is increasingly providing the ‘finish’ to post-secondary education as shown by increased enrolments by Bachelor Degree holders in VET, particularly with TAFEs. These are undoubtedly positive findings for the sector, however there is also a need for evolution and refocussing within the sector to ensure it keeps pace with current and future economic transitions and maintains Australia’s competitiveness globally.