The Labour Market , Skills demand and Skills Formation

In September 2008, Skills Australia joined with the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia to sponsor a half-day seminar with academics and others to discuss what current research findings (both in Australia and overseas) can tell policy makers and practitioners about the labour market, the formation and use of skills and future skills requirements. The seminar was intended to provide input into Skills Australia's determination of its future research priorities, as well as inform its advice more generally. The dialogue between Skills Australia and the research community will also inform researchers about what policy advisers see as the key policy issues, and assist the research community in directing future research so that it is policy relevant.

This paper, which was commissioned by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and Skills Australia, sets out to: contextualise the proceedings of the seminar within a broader public policy framework; record the outcomes of the event and the significance for policy; and offer commentary where necessary.