Workforce Development in an Environment of Skill Shortages

Full speaker list:

- Professor Sue Richardson, Director, National Institute of Labour Studies
- Professor Graeme Hugo, Federation Fellow, University of Adelaide
- Brian Cunningham, Chief Executive, DFEEST
- Barry Grear, Past President, Engineers Australia and President Elect, World Federation of Engineering Organisations
- Stephen Larkins, Chief Executive Officer, Construction Industry Training Board

Shortages of skilled employees are emerging across a range of sectors here and elsewhere around the world and are causing some fundamental rethinking of the way employers recruit and retain key members of their workforce. This important CEDA forum will bring together some of the foremost thinkers and experts on this topic - not only on the issues as they impact on South Australia, but also from a national and international perspective.

Sue Richardson will summarise the underlying causes and consequences of the shortage of skills. Graeme Hugo will outline the global movement of skills and examine whether this is an opportunity or threat for South Australia. The State Government has been developing a range of strategies to deal with skill development and Brian Cunningham will summarise these.

Engineering and the building trades have been at the sharp end of issues around skills development. Barry Greer and Steve Larkins are at the forefront of developing strategies to address the issues and they will share their views of the current situation and what needs to be done.

This is a forum about an issue of fundamental significance to the economic future of South Australia.

In partnership with DFEEST and the SA Training and Skills Commission