Jobs and Skills Australia has today released the first report into the employment and education landscape of regional Australia.
The ‘Jobs and Skills Roadmap for Regional Australia – Phase 1’ sets out the challenges and opportunities for the regional labour market, including how education and training participation is supporting its worker needs.
Regional Australia currently has its highest ever rate of people aged 25-54 in the workforce, at 85.4%. However, more needs to be done to encourage people aged 18-24 into higher education or the workforce, which is a key focus of the report.
“That’s a significant increase and one that does need to be considered when discussing the bigger picture in terms of Australia’s future productivity”, says JSA Commissioner, Professor Barney Glover.
“Because if that younger group of people about to enter the prime workforce of 25-54-year-olds is becoming less engaged in both employment and education, we’re looking at a risk to maintaining that level of participation and productivity as a result”, said Professor Glover.
“That’s why our Regional Roadmap places a strong emphasis on breaking down the barriers to regional Australians in education, training and employment.”
These barriers are varied and often interconnected, ranging across financial challenges, lack of digital connectivity and limited access to childcare, transport and affordable housing, with disability and health issues also playing a part. The language, numeracy and digital skills learnt in primary and secondary school can also present a substantial barrier when not acquired to a sufficient skill level.
The Roadmap also sets out a range of emerging areas of focus and opportunity for regional Australia, from using centralised hubs for students and jobseekers, to developing more comprehensive, frequent and useful data.
“This Roadmap is a big step towards making sure the jobs and skills system in regional Australia helps individuals achieve their goals”, said Professor Glover.
The report is currently open for consultation until 2 October 2025, with feedback used to develop Phase 2 of the roadmap.
The report is available now from jobsandskills.gov.au.
Media contact: media@jobsandskills.gov.au
