Behind the eight ball : your students' careers : special report

Authors

R Leech, Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

Abstract

Australia is behind the eight ball and its education system must prepare for more well-qualified highly-skilled students to meet the needs of a future workforce. The nation's education system must significantly expand its vocational and higher education sectors over the next 10 years if it is to meet the skills shortage, according to Professor Gerald Burke, Executive Director of the Centre for the Economics of Education and Training (CEET). Burke presented the findings of his research on future training requirements and labour force trends at the ACER research conference in August 2008, drawing on research by his CEET colleagues. This work includes analysis of the supply and demand of educated employees in various occupations, and attempts to predict the likely skills and qualifications that will be required of the future workforce, and which occupations may suffer skills shortages. CEET uses the data to inform policymakers and to supply a broad context in which industry, employer and individual needs can be considered. This information could also allow students to make better-informed choices, taking into account predictions of the occupational areas most likely to require workers in the future. Research shows that employers are likely to experience continued skills shortages, recruitment difficulties and skills gaps among their employees if current trends persist. [Author abstract, ed]

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