Submission to the National Skills Taxonomy update: Building a system that puts people and skills first

Australia’s workforce is experiencing rapid transformation, driven by emerging technologies, shifting economic priorities, and changing demographics.

Australia’s workforce is experiencing rapid transformation, driven by emerging technologies, shifting economic priorities, and changing demographics. In this context, the development of a National Skills Taxonomy (NST) will be critical to capturing Australia’s evolving skill requirements. The NST will serve as a vital tool for building a common, cross-sector skills registry and forecasting skills demand.

ATSE’s submission proposes that regular and consistent updates of the taxonomy can assist in accurately mapping emerging skills and trends. Integration of the Taxonomy with existing frameworks will also assist in accessibility and alignment of existing qualifications and skill requirements. Additionally, the recognition of non-technical skills, overseas qualifications and Traditional Knowledge can ensure the NST is reflective of Australia’s diverse workforce. The NST can act as a foundational resource for education, industry, and policymakers and enable stakeholders to plan, adapt, and ensure Australia’s workforce remains resilient and future-ready.  

ATSE is pleased to see progress on developing the NST, as recommended by our 2022 report, Our STEM Skilled Future.

ATSE makes the following recommendations:

Recommendation 1: Regularly update and expand the NST’s skills vocabulary, ideally with live workforce and job advertisement data.

Recommendation 2: Design the NST to be integrated into the Australian Qualification Framework to support alignment between qualifications and the NST.

Recommendation 3: Explicitly recognise and value non-technical skills, overseas qualifications, and Traditional Knowledge to ensure the NST is inclusive, equitable, and reflective of Australia’s diverse workforce.