Who is HumanAbility?
At HumanAbility, we stand alongside the caring and support industries, fostering their growth and championing a skilled workforce for a brighter future.
As a not-for-profit, industry-led organisation, we have been entrusted by the federal government to drive the advancement of education and workforce development in the health & human services, aged & disability support, sport & recreation, and children’s education and care industries.
By developing a skilled and adaptable workforce, we not only empower individuals to achieve personal growth and advancement, but also drive industry-wide progress, positively shaping our industries and their capacity to support our broader community.
Together, we forge a future where workforce innovation and sustainable growth fuel a compassionate society, revolutionising the way we empower, nurture, and thrive as a collective whole.
Ten Jobs and Skills Councils have been selected to replace the former system which was constituted of 68 Industry Reference Committees supported by a range of Skills Service Organisations (SSOs) – in the case of our sectors, SkillsIQ.
Creation of the new Jobs and Skills Councils.
The creation of Jobs and Skills Councils represents much more than a mere change of name. We will be doing some additional things and doing things differently.
Our new role will see us work with industry stakeholders to research and articulate the jobs demand in our areas of industry, the needs of employers for future and current skills, develop qualifications and training packages that are responsive to and meet the needs of industry and lead workforce development initiatives.
A new organisation, HumanAbility was established by a group of Foundation Members - around 30 industry groups, employers, unions and consumer organisations with a direct interest in one or more of our industries. That group of Foundation Members developed the plan for the new organisation and applied for the new role supported by a large number of other industry partners.
As an industry-led organisation, we have a major role in ensuring that plans for workforce and qualifications are responsive and grounded in a deeper knowledge of the needs of employers and employees in our sectors. We will use the existing networks of our members and supporters, and build on them, to ensure that our work is well informed by stakeholders across the country and across our sectors.
How will we work with partners and members?
We will, in keeping with the policy goals set out by the Minister and the Department, be seeking to work in a new way, with a focus on a more strategic approach to skills development and jobs, representing a more industry and future-focused approach to qualifications development.
We will be partnering with our Foundation members, supporters and industry stakeholders on all of our projects and work. This will see a mix of regular forums as well as time limited and ad hoc gatherings around particular projects or issues (for example a reference group about a review of a specific qualification or unit of competency).
We hold a collective aspiration to drive workforce innovation by conducting skills reviews and enhancing speed to market, while also acknowledging the importance of being realistic about our own role and influence within the system.
Key collaboration opportunities:
Industry Advisory Committees will be established to steward our key industry plans and projects, working together to ensure we are focussing on the most impactful projects for our sectors.
Industry Advisory Committees will be convened to undertake the development of the industry-specific plans and lead projects in these areas. The HumanAbility Board will establish Industry Advisory Committees in:
- Children’s Education and Care
- Health & Human Services
- Aged Care & Disability Support
- Sport & Recreation.
Larger forums will be held each year, bringing together key stakeholders across four groups:
- Industry Leaders: to explore directions for our industries and discuss the potential impacts for workforce and workforce development. This provides a future-focused lens to jobs and skills and reinforces industry leadership of our plans and work.
- Education providers: to provide feedback regarding our qualifications, development opportunities and any issues they have identified as part of delivery and assessment.
- Small & Regional Service Providers: to address the specific needs of small and regional enterprises and service delivery organisations.
- Students: to hear from students currently undertaking qualifications that prepare them for future work in our industries.
If you or your organisation are interested in participating in one or more of the advisory committees when they are formed, please join the HumanAbility Partners Program to keep up to date with opportunities to apply. Pass the word to colleagues and contacts across our sectors as we are keen to ensure the widest and best possible range of voices are heard.
How you can contribute to our Workforce planning processes.
As we move into the real work of HumanAbility we are keen to hear from you on what you see as the key issues that we need to tackle in supporting you in workforce and workforce development.
We recognise that the transition to the new Councils and having a period of time where the former IRCs and SSO have not operated in between has been potentially disruptive to some of you and there are some critical issues that need more urgent attention than others.
We have developed an initial Workforce Plan. This was largely a 'desktop research' process with feedback on early drafts provided by some partners, however it was reliant on existing information and reports including those in the handover reports provided to us.
The timeframes involved did not permit us to utilise the range of stakeholder engagement processes that we will use in future.
Industry partners - immediate and longer-term trends or issues.
The information we sought from our partners included:
- What are the ‘burning bridges’ in your sector?
- What issues if not addressed in the next year would impact on your organisation and the people that you provide support and services to?
- What responses are needed most urgently?
- What workers are in shortest supply and need access to training?
- What new job roles need to be considered in the qualifications system?
- How can we ensure that appropriate training is available in the right places to ensure that workers can safely enter the workforce
We also need to ensure that the plan (even in its first form) works towards addressing the medium and longer term. So we also asked:
- What are the key changes in direction for your industry or business?
- How might this impact on demand for workforce and the skills that workers will need?
If you missed the opportunity to provide us with this insight for the draft 2023 Workforce Plan, we would still welcome your thoughts. Please use the link below to join the Partner Program to provide your feedback.
Education providers – do our qualifications and guidance work well?
Initial consultation for the first plan asked of education providers:
- What elements of our training packages require consideration of change to make them more relevant to industry needs and educationally sound?
- What things don't make sense to you as an education provider?
- What things are missing or not given sufficient emphasis at present?
If you missed the opportunity to provide us with this insight for the draft 2023 Workforce Plan, we would still welcome your thoughts. Please use the link below to join the HumanAbility Partners Program to provide your feedback.
Our commitment to listening and engaging is at the heart of the work we do.
As we become established there will be more structured and easier ways for you to provide input into our planning and project activities. We will, in turn, share with you the major themes that emerge in our work to develop the plan and seek further comment along the way.