The Federal Government last week requested the Productivity Commission review the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development (NASWD).
The NASWD provides financial support to the States and Territories to support vocational education and training (VET) and outlines agreed goals and targets in the areas of skills and workforce development.
The review of the NASWD is part of a wider Government plan for the Productivity Commission to undertake independent reviews of nationally significant sector-wide agreements with the States and Territories.
The Productivity Commission will review the effectiveness of the NASWD and will assess options for coordinated government support for VET, opportunities to increase VET participation and the potential to achieve further targeted reforms.
This review will complement the Government’s implementation of the Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow package announced at the 2019-20 Budget. The $585 million Budget package will ensure Australians have the right skills to get a job and build a career – now and into the future, no matter where they live.
The Productivity Commission will undertake broad public consultation, including with state and territory governments, and is due to report to Government within twelve months. For further information, or to participate in the consultation process, please visit the Commission’s website.
In the context of the VET system, the review will consider NASWD’s objectives, outcomes, performance indicators, targets, reform directions and roles and responsibilities.
Among a range of other considerations, it will also examine options for governments to coordinate and streamline their support for vocational education in the future.
Click here to view the full terms of reference of the review.