The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations enables access to quality skills, training, and employment to support Australians to find secure work in fair, productive and safe workplaces – supporting individuals and our nation to prosper.
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A strong labour market creates secure jobs, vital for our nation to prosper—driving future economic growth and providing people with the certainty to achieve their life goals.
We focus on equipping Australians who are starting, advancing or changing their career with the relevant skills, knowledge and experience to gain or regain employment to achieve their aspirations in life. This work includes filling skills gaps fundamental to Australia’s economic growth.
We support a world leading vocational education and training sector offering apprenticeships, cadetships, and traineeships to connect people to alternative pathways to employment. This work leads to local, stable, and secure employment, strengthened by work health and safety, and a safety net and conditions that help to define workplace rights and responsibilities that both employers and employees can have confidence in.
Strategic priorities include:
- Foster a productive and competitive labour market through policies and programs that assist job seekers into work, including secure work, to meet employer and industry needs.
- Promote growth in economic productivity and social wellbeing through access to quality skills and training.
- Facilitate job growth, including secure work, through policies and programs that promote fair, productive and safe workplaces.
The department’s terms and conditions of employment are drawn from the DEWR (Non-SES Employees) Section 24-1- Determination 2022-2.
In addition, the department has received a wage increase, effective 9 April 2023. The new pay rates can be found in the DEWR Non-SES Employees Determination 2023/1.