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Professor Barney Glover, AO – Commissioner
Professor Barney Glover, AO, began his five-year term as Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia on 15 April 2024.
Professor Glover is a distinguished academic leader, an accomplished mathematician and mathematics educator with significant experience in developing strong relationships with the vocational education sector. He is well respected for his engagement with First Nations Australians and disadvantaged communities.
He was Vice-Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University for ten years, from 2014-24, and in 2019 was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to tertiary education, professional associations and cultural organisations. In 2015, Professor Glover was awarded the title of Emeritus Professor for his outstanding leadership whilst Vice-Chancellor of Charles Darwin University from 2009 to 2013.
Professor Glover previously held the roles of:
- Chair of Universities Australia (2015-2017)
- Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research at the University of Newcastle
- Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Development at Curtin University
Professor Glover is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE), a Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW (FRSN), and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD).
He has served on the boards of a diverse range of corporate organisations and several state and national centres covering areas such as health and medical research, energy, mineral exploration, and telecommunications.
Megan Lilly – Deputy Commissioner
Megan Lilly is Deputy Commissioner at Jobs and Skills Australia, bringing more than two decades of leadership in education, training, and workforce development. She joined JSA in September 2024, following a distinguished career at the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group), where she served as the Executive Director of the Centre for Education and Training.
Throughout her career, Megan has been a prominent voice in national policy development, advocating for stronger links between education and industry. At Ai Group, she led strategic initiatives to address workforce capability, vocational education reform, and skills development across key sectors of the economy.
Megan has held senior roles in TAFE and industry training bodies, and has served on numerous national boards, councils, and working groups, including the Australian Industry Skills Committee, National Skills Standards Council, the Victorian Skills Commission, the Australian Qualifications Framework Council, and the Australia India Education Council. Megan was also a member of the AQF Review Expert Panel, the VET Qualifications Design Reform Group, the Australia Pacific Technical College Advisory Board and was Chair of Manufacturing Skills Australia for a decade. She is currently Deputy Chair of the WorldSkills Australia Board and a member of the Employment Services Reform Advisory Group, contributing to advice on the design and implementation of employment services reform.
Her collaborative approach and deep expertise have earned her recognition across government, industry, and education sectors. Megan holds a master’s degree in educational policy and administration, reflecting her commitment to lifelong learning and system wide improvement in workforce development.
Trevor Gauld – Deputy Commissioner
Trevor Gauld is Deputy Commissioner at Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), where he plays a key role in shaping national skills strategies to meet Australia’s current and future workforce needs. With deep expertise in workforce development, vocational education, and strategic policy, Trevor brings a strong commitment to building a future-ready, inclusive, and skilled economy.
Prior to joining JSA, Trevor served as the National Assistant Secretary of the Electrical Trades Union, where he championed the rights of workers and advocated for quality training and apprenticeship pathways. His career began in the electrical industry, working across power distribution, transmission, maintenance, and construction—giving him first hand insight into the importance of practical skills and lifelong learning.
Trevor has held numerous board directorships and committee roles, providing strategic advice on skills development, worker entitlements, immigration, trade policy, and climate and clean energy initiatives. His collaborative approach has seen him work closely with government, industry, unions, and education providers to drive innovation and improve outcomes for learners and employers alike.
He is a passionate advocate for equity in education, employment and training, and his leadership continues to support JSA’s mission to enhance skills mobility, workforce capability, and economic participation across Australia.
Our leadership roles
Jobs and Skills Australia is led by a small senior executive team with clear and complementary responsibilities. Each role plays a different part in how we set priorities, develop advice and work with governments, industry and the community.
Our senior Executives enact their roles in accordance with the provisions within the Jobs and Skills Australia Act 2022.
Together, they support the delivery of independent, trusted and nationally consistent advice on Australia’s jobs and skills system.
Commissioner
The Commissioner is the head of Jobs and Skills Australia and responsible for setting the organisation’s overall direction and priorities. This is a statutory position.
The Commissioner ensures Jobs and Skills Australia delivers independent, evidence based advice, represents the organisation nationally and across government, and is accountable for Jobs and Skills Australia’s work and public advice.
The Commissioner makes all final decisions on behalf of Jobs and Skills Australia.
Deputy Commissioners
The Deputy Commissioners support the Commissioner by bringing diverse perspectives to our work, including those of employers, workers and the broader community. These are statutory positions.
They provide strategic advice and guidance informed by their experience and expertise, and help ensure our analysis reflects real world conditions across industries and regions. They also support engagement with key stakeholders, including industry bodies, unions and employer organisations.
The Deputy Commissioners contribute to the development of our advice by providing insights, and expertise that support the Commissioner’s decision making.
Executive Director
The Executive Director is a public servant from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations who leads the day to day operations of Jobs and Skills Australia and supports the delivery of organisational priorities.
The Executive Director oversees programs, projects and staff, brings together analysis and advice for consideration by the Commissioner and supports the effective delivery of agreed priorities. The role also coordinates engagement with states and territories to support a consistent national approach.
The Executive Director help ensure Jobs and Skills Australia operates efficiently and as a unified organisation.
Working together
Our senior leaders work closely together to support a clear and consistent approach across Jobs and Skills Australia. Engagement with governments, industry and other stakeholders is coordinated and purposeful, and aligned with our work plan and statutory role.
Together, our senior leaders ensure Jobs and Skills Australia is well placed to respond to Australia’s changing workforce and skills needs.