Australia's Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) have been officially established to address the nation's current and future workforce challenges. 

The JSCs, funded to the tune of $442 million by the Albanese Government, are a network of industry-led organisations that bring together employers, unions, governments, and the education and training sectors to tackle skills needs across various industries.

Nine JSCs are already operational, including those focused on energy, gas, renewables, early education, health, human services, arts, personal services, retail, tourism, hospitality, public safety, government, and finance, technology, business. 

The tenth JSC, which will be fully operational in the coming months, is the Building Construction and Property Council, operated by BuildSkills Australia. 

This council will address workforce issues in the building, construction, and property sectors through close collaboration with employers and unions.

The JSCs will play a critical role in addressing challenges such as achieving net-zero emissions, supporting the care and support sector workforce, and giving a voice to the technology sector. 

Additionally, they will support industries heavily impacted by the pandemic, including tourism, retail, and the arts, as they recover and contribute to the nation's economic growth.

“JSCs are crucial in making sure industry has the right skills to support a prosperous and harmonious economy,” Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O'Connor. 

One of the recently established JSCs is Public Skills Australia, which covers the public sector, including police, fire, emergency services, defence, correctional services, and government. It will address issues faced by local, state, and territory governments, including attracting skilled workers and improving access to training. 

Public Skills Australia has seven voting members, including the Department of Defence as the employer representative, and three industry members and employee organisations representing the fire and emergency services, police profession, and defence force.

Public Skills Australia is intended to focus on challenges such as upskilling in preparation for the AUKUS initiative and addressing the ageing workforce, skills shortages, and the demand for STEM skills.