“The introduction of a bill to parliament today will establish a new interim body, Jobs and Skills Australia, ensuring Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) system is in lockstep with industry needs,” ACCI chief executive Andrew McKellar said.

“Overcoming Australia’s acute workforce shortages demands a coordinated and collaborative approach. In placing employers and unions at the heart of workforce planning and the VET system, we can better address our skills needs now, and into the future.

“An important role for Jobs and Skills Australia will be workforce forecasting, helping to ensure that employers are able to find and retain the right people.

“With the skills Australia needs, business can compete, innovate, and grow.

“Past experience has shown the VET system works best when industry and government collaborate effectively at all levels of the system.

“Jobs and Skills Australia will also be critical in developing strategies to drive increased participation, unlocking the full potential of Australia’s workforce to encourage greater inclusion of people with a disability, older Australians, youth, women, and the long-term unemployed.

“At a time when job vacancy rates are at record highs and the unemployment rate has dropped to 3.5 per cent, measures to encourage more Australians into the workforce and give them the skills they need is more important than ever.