Review of Skills and Workforce Development in South Australia
Dr Michael Keating, AC
Government of South Australia (Training and Skills Commission)
This report, commissioned by the Economic Development Board (EDB), suggests that annual economic growth could plausibly average 4 per cent from 2006-07 to 2015-16. The completion of the construction phase of Olympic Dam, because of its sheer size, will inevitably lead to some slow-down, but economic growth after 2015-16 could well continue at a healthy average annual rate of around three and a half per cent. This plausible scenario would involve average annual employment growth over the period from 2006-07 to 2015-16 of two per cent, and around one and a half per cent, or a tad more, thereafter.
The other critical influence on South Australia's economic prospects is the projected ageing of the population. Unless participation can be increased, labour force growth will consequently slow, in which case the underlying growth of output and employment would also have been expected to slow.
The Review covers the key issues of:
Assessing the size and dimensions of the skills that will be needed in the future
Engagement with industry, particularly through workforce planning and development
Engagement with individuals, including youth, existing workers, those on the margin of the workforce and migrants, and
Engagement with the Commonwealth Government, especially relating to the impact of industry restructuring and the opportunities being presented by its new programs to increase the number of training
