WELL Practitioners’ Conference

Kathryn Shugg, Branch Manager, Foundation Skills and Pathways Branch, DEEWR

Economic challenges

Evidence of Foundation Skills Gaps

2007 ALLS survey showed that approximately 48.7 per cent of adult Australians had poor to very poor language, literacy and numeracy skills.

This includes:• 40 per cent of existing workers; and • 60 per cent of job seekers

Around 360,000 young Australians have not obtained at least a Year 12 or Certificate II qualification and are not studying for a qualification.

COAG TargetsNational Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development• Halve the proportion of Australians aged 20-64 without

qualifications at Certificate II and above by 2020.• Double the number of higher qualification completions

(diploma and advanced diploma) by 2020

National Indigenous Reform Agreement (Closing the Gap)• Halve the gap in employment outcomes between

Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade.

Australian Government Policy Drivers

Drivers:• Jobs agenda• Productivity and skills agenda• Social inclusion• Improved foundation skills• Improved pathways from school to training to work

Australian Government Commitment

Skills for Sustainable Growth Package• $660 million investment in training, apprenticeships and

adult foundation skills

Key Reforms• Addressing skill shortages• National Training System reforms• Building foundation skills.

Foundation Skills Package

Foundation Skills Package• $119.25 million over four years to improve the job readiness of

at least 140,000 Australians with targeted LLN initiatives by:• Strengthening LLNP• Expanding WELL• Expanding the Foundation Skills Taster Course Program;• National Foundation Skills Outreach and Leadership

Project• National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults

Workplace English Language and Literacy

• WELL places - $15.7m over four years for: - an additional 9,500 places to 30 June 2014 - six WELL Brokers located in Industry Skills Councils to

promote the program and establish projects

• Since July 1 2009, 6000 WELL places over four years have been opened up for pre-employment Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) participants.

Future Directions

National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults • to be developed by the end of 2011• charting a national course for foundation skills for the next 10

years• opportunity for stakeholder, including WELL providers, to

participate in face to face consultations early next year.

Information on WELL can be found at: www.deewr.gov.au/WELL