Presentation by Sally Sinclair, CEO, National Employment Services Association, Australia. 9th Annual Meeting of the OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance (Dublin-Kilkenny, Ireland), 26/27 March 2013. http://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/9thfplgmeeting.htm

1. 9th Annual Meeting
IMPLEMENTING CHANGE:
A NEW LOCAL AGENDA FOR
JOBS AND GROWTH
In co-operation with the EU Presidency, Irish Government and Pobal
26-27 March 2013, Dublin-Kilkenny, Ireland
WORKSHOP A: LOCAL JOB CREATION - HOW EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
AGENCIES CAN HELP
Sally Sinclair
CEO, National Employment Services Association, Australia

2. Local Job Creation:
How Employment and
Training Agencies Can
Help
Presented by:
Sally Sinclair, CEO
National Employment Services
Association
OECD LEED 9th Annual Meeting:
Implementing Change: A New Local Agenda for Jobs and
27 March2013
Growth

3. NESA is the voice of the
Australian employment services industry
 NESA is an industry association and the peak body for the
Australian employment and related services industry
 Australia has a fully outsourced employment services
delivery model
 NESA represents and advocates on behalf of contracted
providers to ensure that we achieve:
 Continuous improvement to design, delivery and
performance of employment services for stakeholders,
and
 A sustainable and vibrant industry.

4. The Australian Experience
 Continuing development of place-based employment and training services to address local
labour market needs.
 Strong engagement with small to medium enterprises to create employment opportunities
for job seekers with disadvantage.
 The importance of alignment of policies and programme settings to achieve collaboration
between actors and achieve joined-up interventions for job seekers in skills formation
including employability skills (soft skills).
 Flexible resources to tailor skills development including Job Services Australia’s
Employment Pathway Fund, complementary services and employer incentives/assistance.
 Local coordination of actors in areas of entrenched disadvantage to develop demand led
job seeker skills initiatives.
 Policy and programme developments to address skills and labour mobility in order to meet
skills shortages.
o Need to take a journey approach and for many job seekers they will have to have
a level of progression to fulfil the skill demands of industry such as the resource
sector.

5. Connecting with Employers
 Australian Employment Services are funded through the Federal
Government to work at no cost with employers (lodge vacancy, screen,
match and refer) and contracted at a local level (116 Employment
Services Areas).
 Incentivising brokerage and performance through job placement and
employment outcomes.
 Activating and assisting employers through a range of incentives and
funds such as Wage Subsidies, Jobs Bonus, Traineeship and
Apprenticeship Subsidies, Employment Assistance Fund, Supported
Wage System, Employment Pathway Fund.
 Flexibility to provide broader labour market assistance.
 Partnerships with industry – addressing skill shortages, relocation
assistance, targeted labour market programs.

6. Responsive Policy & Service Framework
The contracting arrangements of Australian employment services support
a dynamic and responsive policy environment. The purchaser maintains
the right to vary DEEDs and supporting guidelines to include new
initiatives and respond to changing circumstance and priorities
throughout the contract period.
Complementary Programmes:
Geographically Targeted Initiatives
 Local Connections to Work
 Priority Employment Areas
o Local Employment Coordinators
o Jobs and Skills Expos
 Disaster Response Packages
 Connecting People with Jobs
 Regional Development Authorities
o Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Coordinators

7. Responsive Policy & Service Framework
Targeted Industry Support
 Structural Adjustment Packages
Cohort Focused Initiatives
 Mature Age Workers
 Early school leavers
 Long term unemployed – Wage Connect
 Indigenous Employment Program
Skills Focused Initiatives
 Apprenticeship Kick Start Initiative
Intermediaries, Data and Information
 Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency (AWPA)
 Industry Skills Council
 Employer Associations

8. Australian Employment Services Framework
Commonwealth Department of
Education, Employment & Workplace Relations
Policy & Program Administration, Development & Implementation
Purchasing & Contract Management
Centrelink
Complementary
Social
Security
Programs
Employment New Enterprise Incentive Scheme,
Services Harvest Labour Services,
Gateway
Experience +
Youth Connections,
Job Seeker Language, Literacy & Numeracy,
Compliance
Indigenous Employment Programs
Framework
National Employment Services Data Base
National Performance Assessment Framework

9. Tailored Service Provision
Flexible, Tailored Service Model
enables integrated wrap around
service assistance to address
•Job Search Support
individual needs and local • Employer Services
circumstances •Job Search Facilities
• Skills Assessment
• Employment Pathway
Plan
•Community Linkages
•Access to resources to
support interventions
•Post Placement Support
•Range of Activities
•Work for the Dole
•Training
•Volunteering
•Work Trials
Complementary Programs
New Enterprise Incentive Scheme, Harvest Labour Services, Experience +, National Green
Jobs Corps, Youth Connections, Language, Literacy & Numeracy, Indigenous Employment
Programs

10. Tailored Support
Employment Pathway Fund
Flexible pool of funding to purchase assistance to help job
seekers get and keep a job, such as:
 Vocational & Employability Skills Training
 Work related clothing and safety equipment
 Licences & certificates
 Short term travel costs
 Relocation costs to commence employment
 Other personal support services, such as dental, health and
housing
 Employer Assistance – Wage subsidies, on-the-job training
or mentoring for job seekers.

11. Vocational Education and Training Sector
Vocational Education and Training (VET) is:
 Designed to support regional development through local partnerships with
enterprises, employment services providers, community groups and government
agencies.
 Delivered by a network of private (Registered Training Organisations) and public
(Technical and Further Education) providers who are regionally located and are
responsible for skills development at local levels.
Participants can undertake VET at school:
 as part of their school studies
 by enrolling in a course at a TAFE or other training organisation
 as a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship
The range of VET programs in schools is determined at a local level

12. Contact Details
Contact Details
NESA
Level 8, 20-22 Albert Road
South Melbourne, VIC 3205
Australia
Phone: +613 9624 2300
Email: nesa@nesa.com.au
Website: www.nesa.com.au