Skills Training

Mr MURRAY (Davenport) (16:08): My question is directed to the Minister for Innovation and Skills. I ask the minister whether he could update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is building what matters and providing employers with the skilled workforce required to grow?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (16:08): I thank the member for Davenport for his interest in skills here in South Australia. I know he will be particularly interested in the Marshall Liberal government's work in micro-credentials. It is building what matters here in South Australia: more training and employment opportunities for South Australians, delivering skills for industry to provide employers with the skilled workforce they need for their businesses to grow and to employ more South Australians.

Yesterday, I officially announced a new 12-month micro-credential pilot project. We are rolling out business-led micro-credentials that will meet present-day skills needs. While work on micro-credentials is also occurring nationally, South Australia is forging ahead with a pilot as we continue to lead the nation in skills reform with flexible and robust training here in South Australia—a system that is agile. Let me explain: a micro-credential is shorter than a qualification and certifies the assessed learning in a defined set of skills, importantly formally acknowledging the training and learning of the employee.

These bite-size courses provide businesses with the flexibility to rapidly adjust to changes in technology and, of course, in the labour market. Importantly, it provides for staff and jobseekers to upskill. Micro-credentials are particularly important to support high-priority sectors such as digital and human services, including disability and the aged-care sector. They will support people to get into jobs or to reskill and upskill in line with emerging needs.

Businesses and industries can now apply to have shorter bespoke courses formally recognised. This is important, as businesses have been delivering various versions of micro-credentials for their own employees for years but they are not recognised outside of that business. The process we're going through here with this micro-credentialing pilot is to actually formally recognise those credentials. The work that employee has done in expanding their education is recognised beyond the business that they're working for. This makes them more valuable as employees out in the market, and formally recognises the work that they have learnt through the micro-credentialing process.

Expressions of interest are now open and the state government's Training and Skills Commission will lead the industry endorsement and recognition process for micro-credentials on industry request. My Department for Innovation and Skills will provide support to facilitate the development of new courses that address skills gaps in priority sectors or meet, of course, emerging industry needs.

The pilot is just one of the many new initiatives the Marshall government is delivering to support a skilled workforce here in South Australia as we position South Australia to further influence reforms to national training products and prepare South Australia for the new industries that are emerging here in South Australia.