In a modern and dynamic labour market, a focus on lifelong learning across the entirety of Australia’s workforce is more important than ever. Work-related learning is not the only component of successful lifelong learning, but it is a vitally important one. This report is both a snapshot of where Australia is at and a roadmap for where it needs to go. 

The report highlights that more than a third of Australia's workforce undertook work-related training in 2023, representing over 183 million hours of training. It calls on government, industry and individuals to work together to build a culture of learning in the workplace that drives productivity, opportunity and resilience.

Key findings

• Rates of work-related training in Australia are above the long-term average.
• A vast and growing majority of work-related training is fully sponsored by employers.
• The pandemic triggered a structural shift in employer investment in training.
• Work-related training is associated with higher incomes and employee retention.

Key priority areas

1. Develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy for lifelong learning.
2. Review policy settings that may be constraining investment by individuals and employers in work-related training
3. Increase public investment in vocational education and training (VET) to deliver the skills uplift Australia needs.
4. Improve availability and accessibility of training focussed on developing foundation skills in the workplace context.