Building Australia’s Future Starts with Skills

Building Australia’s Future Starts with Skills

Across regional Australia, there is a renewed appreciation of something that should never have been overlooked, the value of practical skills.

From tradies building homes to the apprentices keeping workshops and small businesses running, vocational education and training should never be regarded as a second choice, but sadly too many in politics still hold this outdated and wrong perception Vocational Education is a critical pathway to meaningful work, strong communities and a productive regional economy.

Vocational pathways do not just lead to jobs, they often lead to business ownership. Across Barker, many of our small and family businesses began as someone with a trade who took their skills, built something of their own and went on to employ others. That is how local economies grow from the ground up.

If we are serious about the future of our regions, we must be serious about skills.

Right now, communities across Barker are facing real workforce shortages in sectors that matter most including construction, agriculture, aged care, disability support, hospitality and information technology. These are not abstract challenges. They affect whether homes get built, whether local businesses can grow and whether essential services are available close to home.

The solution starts with rebuilding our apprenticeship pipeline.

For too long, the number of apprentices and trainees entering and completing training has not kept pace with demand. That has left gaps across key industries, particularly in regional communities where skilled workers are essential to keeping local economies strong.

We need more young people in our regions taking up trades and vocational pathways, and we need to support them every step of the way.

Apprenticeships and traineeships do not exist in a vacuum. They rely on employers, the small and medium businesses that are the backbone of regional Australia and if we want more apprentices, we need to back those businesses.

That means recognising that local employers are central to the success of vocational education. They are the ones providing real-world experience, passing on skills and mentorship, and creating jobs in our communities. Policies that support businesses to take on apprentices are not just good for the economy, they are critical for the future of regional Australia.

At the same time, we need to ensure our training system is aligned with the real needs of regional economies. Vocational education must be closely connected to the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow. That means focusing on the industries where shortages are most acute and ensuring training leads directly to employment opportunities in the regions.

In the Riverland, this connection is critical. Our local economy depends on skilled workers across agriculture, manufacturing, logistics and the trades. When those skills are in short supply, the impacts are felt across the entire community.

Across Barker I see both the challenges and the benefits of this every day. I meet local businesses struggling to find skilled workers, but I also see firsthand the enormous contribution skilled tradespeople, technicians and care workers make to our communities by actively building, maintaining and supporting the services we all rely on.

That is why vocational education must have a strong regional focus.

We need a system that is responsive to the unique needs of regional Australia, one that recognises that workforce shortages in individual regions. We cannot afford to have training for training’ sake – it must always be a pathway to secure employment. Getting this right means ensuring training pathways and workforce planning reflect those realities.

Equally important, as I reflected earlier, is restoring the status of vocational pathways, starting in our regional schools.

For too long, there has been a perception that university is the only pathway to success. That mindset does a disservice to the many young people in our regions who thrive in hands-on careers and build rewarding, well-paid futures through trades and technical skills.

We need to give students and parents real choice and that means strengthening vocational education in schools, exposing young people to practical pathways earlier, and ensuring they understand the opportunities that exist within their own communities.

Because the truth is simple.

The jobs that build our regions, power our economy and shape our nation rely on skilled trades people.

They are the carpenters, electricians and mechanics. The farmers, operators and small business owners. The aged care workers, childcare workers and disability support staff who keep our communities strong.

Backing vocational education is also backing regional Australia.

As the Federal Member for Barker, I will continue fighting for us, advocating for policies that strengthen vocational pathways, support local employers and deliver the skilled workforce our regional communities need to grow and prosper.

And if we get it right - if we rebuild the apprenticeship and traineeship pipeline, support local employers, align training with real regional jobs, strengthen pathways and restore the status of skills - we will not only address today’s workforce challenges, we will secure the future of our regions and in turn strengthen our nation.