31.10.2019Disruptions of the Job Market

With the rise of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the job market will be disrupted, with some jobs automated into obsoletion and new roles created in emerging fields. Australia will require an education framework that can rapidly respond to these changing and emerging skills. The recent review of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) was conducted in response to a changing workforce, learning methods and skill requirements to determine how the framework could best enable learners for the future. The final report from the review was released mid-October 2019, read it here.

As part of Melbourne 4.0 Future Skills Taskforce, the Committee made a submission to the review recommending the framework to “formally recognise micro-credentials, in consultation with employers, to ease transitions across the workforce, more rapidly fill skills gaps and promote lifelong learning.” In line with the Committee’s submission to the review, the final report has recognised the important role of micro-credentials in learning as a mechanism to promote lifelong learning. Specifically, the review recommended that the Education Department ought to “develop guidelines in the AQF Qualifications Pathways Policy to facilitate the recognition of shorter form credentials, including micro-credentials.” This is a significantly important step forward to ensuring Australia has an agile and skilled workforce in the future.

Committee for Melbourne is pleased to see the report has incorporated the recommendation from our submission and will continue to support the implementation stage of the report.

You can read our submission to the review here and the final AQF review report here.

The Committee will follow up with a Future Skills event next year. If you would like to be kept up to date with the Committee’s work on Future Skills, please contact Brett Van Duppen.