A highly skilled workforce is widely viewed as essential for prosperity in economies characterised by rapid technological change. However, the development of high level skills across the workforce is expensive and requires major investment from individuals, governments and employers. Sue Richardson explores an alternative approach to estimating Australian employers' contribution to skills development of the...

Sue Richardson examines the extent to which low wage jobs provide access to and progression in employment for low skill workers. Do people in low wage jobs stay there for a long period, or simply transit them on their way to better paid work? In the first case, low pay can cause continuing poverty and...