Acknowledgement of Country
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures, and elders past and present, including within the department, in our communities and among those we collaborate with to deliver our work.
Wording within this document
Throughout this document, the terms ‘First Nations’ and ‘Indigenous’ are used and refer to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people unless otherwise stated.
Cultural sensitivity advice
First Nations people should be aware that this document may contain the names and images of people who have passed away.
Overview
Secretary’s introduction
This year, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations ( ) will focus on delivery.
Over the past 3 years, has led significant reforms across employment, skills and workplace relations. Our priority now is to ensure these initiatives deliver effective, meaningful outcomes for the Australian community.
Australia’s labour market has shown strong performance – high employment, increased participation (especially among women), and rising wages – despite global uncertainty and cost-of-living pressures. However, structural challenges remain. One-third of occupations are in national shortage. Nearly 700,000 people in our employment services system are seeking to access suitable work but encounter challenges due to mismatches in skills and opportunities (61.4% of people in the employment services system have been in the system for more than 12 months).
We must work across complex, interconnected systems to fulfil our purpose: to support people in Australia to have safe, secure and well-paid work with the skills for a sustainable future.
The department has key levers that can support reforms that boost productivity and participation across industries and regions. In 2025–26, our focus will be on targeted interventions to support people who want to upskill and increase their participation in the labour market in a way that is tailored to their experiences and life circumstances. We will collaborate with stakeholders and government partners to design and deliver contemporary, high-impact initiatives.
Jobs and Skills Australia has highlighted the link between gender-segregated occupations and skills shortages. We are progressing a number of initiatives to reverse gender imbalance in key occupations. For example, we are delivering the Building Women’s Careers Program and providing support to lift women’s wages through the Fair Work Commission’s gender-based undervaluation of awards review.
Our key priorities section outlines a program to implement election commitments and other reforms that will boost skills, participation and productivity and deliver initiatives from previous commitments.
We will work with the Department of Education and other parts of government towards a more joined up tertiary education system, in which our vocational education and training ( ) and higher education sectors are better aligned to address labour market needs and deliver benefits to students.
We will also support communities affected by the transition to a net zero economy, helping workers access new opportunities in their evolving local labour markets.
In the construction industry, we will continue to drive structural and cultural reform through the National Construction Industry Forum and the scheme for the administration of the Construction and General Division of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and its branches.
We will embed recent employment services reforms – supporting parents, paid work placements, and First Nations people transitioning from the justice system into employment. We will develop further reforms to the employment services system to provide effective, dignified support for sustainable employment. This includes critical work to ensure the mutual obligations compliance system operates as intended. Our goal is a fair, transparent framework that incentivises activities that genuinely improve job prospects.
is progressing the Closing the Gap priority reforms, including new governance and accountability mechanisms. In 2025–26 we will continue to collaborate on initiatives that advance equity and improve outcomes for First Nations people. This includes supporting the National Agreement on Closing the Gap 2025 Implementation Plan.
also has a key role in helping workers and business understand and build the capability to adopt new technology to enhance productivity and growth. Our department will continue working with business, unions and experts on the adoption of new technologies. The department has adopted a proactive but cautious approach to these rapidly developing technologies, balancing innovation, security and responsible artificial intelligence ( ) adoption. Building on our work over the past year the department intends to expand the deployment of technologies to augment and enhance our work and drive productivity within the department and across government.
Statement of preparation
As the Accountable Authority of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, I present the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Corporate Plan for the reporting period 2025–26, which covers the period 2025–26 to 2028–29, as required under section 35(1)(b) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 ( ).
Natalie James
Secretary
August 2025
Our purpose, outcomes, programs and key activities
Our purpose is to support people in Australia to have safe, secure and well-paid work with the skills for a sustainable future. In achieving our purpose, we work to deliver key activities which are aligned to our outcomes and programs as described in our 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements (Figure 1).
Figure 1: The department’s outcome statements, programs and key activities.1
Note: The Employment and Workplace Relations 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements also lists Program 3.2, which covers the Comcare workers’ compensation scheme and is managed by Comcare. Comcare reports against this program and associated performance measures in its annual report.
Our portfolio
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations supports 2 ministers and an assistant minister. We work closely with Jobs and Skills Australia, the Student Identifiers Registrar and our portfolio agencies in meeting our policy, program and regulatory responsibilities and delivering for the Australian Government and the community (Figure 2).
Figure 2 – Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio
Jobs and Skills Australia's work plan and strategic plan are on the Jobs and Skills Australia website. Annual reports for both Jobs and Skills Australia and the Student Identifiers Registrar are included in the department’s annual report.
Notes: Comcare provides support through expert advice and services to the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission and the Seafarers Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority (Seacare Authority). The Tuition Protection Service (TPS) is managed by the TPS Director, an independent statutory office holder operating within the Department of Education and appointed by the Minister for Education. A component of the TPS’s work relates to Vocational Education and Training Student Loans, and for this work, the Secretary of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations is the accountable authority. Information on the TPS can be found on the TPS website.
Our operating environment and key priorities
Our operating environment
Our operating context
The department operates in a complex, interconnected and evolving environment. Economic forces, globally and domestically, remain complex and uncertain. It is also a time where the Australian people have high expectations for the delivery of public services and the integrity of the public service and systems that deliver them. Our success requires us to anticipate and evolve to meet expectations in the changing environment, underpinned by an ongoing commitment to the Australian Public Service ( ) Reform agenda, which is designed to strengthen the .
Dynamics that affect our operating environment include the economic and labour market landscape, workforce pressures and the increasing need for skills to drive productivity, data and digital technologies.
Economic and social outlook
Australia faces complex social and economic opportunities and challenges, including population ageing, rising demand for care and support services, technological and digital transformation, climate change and the net zero transformation, and geopolitical risk and fragmentation. These forces are changing the composition of Australia’s workforce, the demand for different occupations, the types of knowledge and skills needed, and how we work. They present an important opportunity to reshape Australia’s labour market and workplaces and support Australians to achieve their social and economic aspirations.
Labour market outlook
The labour market is strong but has begun to soften against the background of heightened uncertainty, volatility and complexity globally. The unemployment rate is very low by historical standards, and the participation rate near its record high. Some groups continue to have employment rates well below the national average, including First Nations people, people with disability, people with a Year 12 or lower level of education, people with low English language proficiency and young people. These key cohorts often face multiple and interconnected barriers to participation, such as a lack of access to services or to secure and affordable housing. There are also significant differences between regional labour markets. The persistently high unemployment experienced in some remote and regional areas, especially in northern Australia, is exacerbated by limited employment options and the lack of support services.
Further, in recent years, almost all jobs growth has occurred in occupations that require post-school qualifications. Growth has stagnated in jobs that do not require post-school qualifications. This has made it harder for some Australians to secure a foothold in the labour market.
Real wages have begun to grow again since 2023, supported in part by administered wage decisions made by the Fair Work Commission. The gender pay gap has also narrowed over the past decade – down by 6.2 percentage points from 17.7% in May 2015 to 11.5% in May 2025 – but remains significant. Net overseas migration has continued to decline from its peak in 2022–23 and is forecast to ease further over the next few years.
Productivity and the need for a skilled, adaptable and inclusive workforce
Productivity growth is the key driver of real wages growth and rising living standards over the long term but has been slowing around the world since the first decade of this century; Australia’s productivity growth in the decade to 2020 was the slowest in 60 years. Lifting labour productivity is a key government priority and formed a core theme of the Economic Reform Roundtable.
The future labour market will require more digital skills, more people employed in key sectors (such as clean energy, care, manufacturing, and digital and technology), and more adaptable workers with a range of foundational and technical skills. Skills shortages exist in many occupations and some shortages are persistent, constraining productivity and economic growth and affecting Australia’s ability to respond to economic, social and environmental opportunities and challenges.
Our education, skills and training, employment services and migration systems must work in concert to develop and attract people with the skills and capabilities we need to drive productivity and growth in an evolving labour market. Advancing workforce gender equality and participation, especially in gender-skewed industries and occupations, will play a part in meeting future labour supply needs. Similarly, addressing barriers to labour mobility will help to get skilled labour more quickly to where it is most needed.
Technology and the changing nature of work
presents a major opportunity to lift productivity, improve service delivery, and reshape work, but it also brings complex policy and regulatory challenges that must be carefully navigated.
is helping workers and businesses adapt to this transformation by building capability and supporting responsible adoption. The Tripartite Employment and Workplace Relations Working Group ensures both employers and workers have a voice in shaping how is integrated into Australian workplaces.
uptake is accelerating, and we need to manage risk appropriately while fostering productivity and innovation. is contributing to national policy development focused on workforce skills and safe, transparent use.
Internally, is expanding its use of to improve operations and service delivery, supported by targeted training and clear guidance. By embedding innovation and investing in workforce capability, is positioning itself – and the broader employment system – to embrace technological change with confidence and purpose.
Our department
Our vision for our future workforce is to be inclusive, curious, collaborative, adaptable and high performing to realise our purpose. We aim to set the standard as a model employer by offering engaging, meaningful work in an environment where employee wellbeing is a central focus. We will operate with the highest standards of integrity, leadership and partnership, building public trust by putting people at the heart of what we deliver.
Our 2025–26 Capability Catalogue is a key step in our commitment to the ongoing capability development of our people. It outlines training options available to staff and presents a refreshed, strategic approach to capability development, aligned to departmental priority areas.
Our key priorities
Over the period of this plan, we will continue to support the Australian Government’s commitments and reform initiatives across the employment, skills and workplace relations systems. We will also work collaboratively on key government priorities with a focus on supporting the government’s economic growth agenda, including lifting productivity, building economic resilience and supporting budget sustainability.
In 2025–26 the department will focus on the following key priorities:
- Progress reforms to improve responsiveness, support meaningful participation and secure, sustainable employment and align services with workforce needs.
- Continue to undertake employment services trials, such as the Broome Employment Services trial, and test alternative settings in online employment services, to support continuous enhancement of service delivery.
- Deliver place-based initiatives in the form of employment hubs, including the Thrive Hubs (in Broadmeadows and Frankston) and Dandenong Employment Hub in Victoria, which will test different locally led employment solutions and provide ongoing evidence which can be considered in broader employment services reforms.
- Deliver initiatives to reduce training costs, including Free TAFE and the Commonwealth Prac Payment program.
- Explore opportunities for a more joined up tertiary system where our and higher education sectors are better aligned and work together to put the student at the centre, help address skills shortages and improve productivity. We will work with the Australian Tertiary Education Commission, Jobs and Skills Australia and the Department of Education on the development and delivery of a tertiary system roadmap.
- Support the integrity and sustainability of the international education sector by working across government on ongoing reforms to strengthen the regulatory framework and address systemic risks for international students. This includes to implement amendments to the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 to combat the exploitation of overseas students, and address behaviours which seek to exploit the migration system.
- Progress reforms of the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System, drawing on recommendations of the recent strategic review, to ensure it is targeted, sustainable and responsive to skills priorities.
- Deliver targeted training initiatives and programs to support the government to build pipelines of skilled workers in priority industries, including through the Advanced Entry Trades Training program and co-funding for a National Training Centre in New Energy Skills.
- Provide extra financial support to apprentices and their employers to help with cost-of-living pressures and to build a skilled workforce, including through delivering the Key Apprenticeship Program, increasing the Living Away From Home Allowance and the Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support subsidy, and extending the Australian Apprenticeship Training Support Payment and the Priority Hiring Incentive.
- Build a skilled, adaptable workforce to support the transition to net zero and help communities navigate change.
- Progress a national labour hire licensing scheme to protect workers and reduce regulatory complexity.
- Advance long-term reform in the construction industry, including through the National Construction Industry Forum and the scheme for the administration of the Construction and General Division of the CFMEU and its branches.
- Across all our work, progress national policies that improve outcomes for First Nations people, including:
- implementing the Reconnection, Employment and Learning Program to improve transitions from the justice system to employment, education and training for First Nations people
- progressing commitments under the Closing the Gap 2025 Implementation Plan and improving access to in remote First Nations communities through the TAFE Technology Fund.
- Advance gender equality through initiatives such as the Australian Skills Guarantee, the Building Women’s Careers Program and Free TAFE, and through our engagement with the Fair Work Commission’s gender-based undervaluation review.
- Support the progress and delivery of reviews to ensure the legislative frameworks for which we are responsible remain fit for purpose and responsive to evolving needs, including:
- a joint review of the operation of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 and the amendments made by Part 16A of Schedule 1 of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Act 2023
- a review of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, the legislative framework that underpins the Comcare workers’ compensation scheme
- a review of Jobs and Skills Australia’s enabling legislation.
- Support legislative reforms to safeguard penalty rates, ban non-compete clauses for low- and middle-income earners, and protect parental leave entitlements in certain circumstances.
- Support the development of policy to ensure Australians are equipped with the skills and opportunities to thrive in an increasingly digital world and to support the safe and responsible digital transformation of workplaces.
- Continue to work collaboratively across government on policy to address ’s labour market impacts; this follows establishing in 2025 a tripartite Employment and Workplace Relations Working Group to ensure that both workers and employers have a voice in how is used in Australian workplaces.
- Explore opportunities to collaborate on reforms that support better access to skills and training, especially those in shortage, through better alignment between , universities, industry, Jobs and Skills Councils and state and territory governments.
- Build internal capability and foster an inclusive, high-performance culture.
- Explore ethical and efficient use of
to streamline workflows and generate data insights. This includes:
- maintaining our current focus on leveraging to improve productivity, while actively exploring its broader potential to support future service delivery and operational improvements
- continuing to collaborate with our stakeholders and across government so that we are well placed to harness the opportunities while balancing risk and ensuring benefits are shared across our community.
Our commitment to Closing the Gap
We are committed to driving progress under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement), recognising the urgent need to overcome the persistent inequalities faced by First Nations people. The National Agreement recognises that all governments need to make increased efforts to close the gap in genuine partnership with First Nations people, communities, and organisations.
The department administers policies and programs that have direct impacts on 4 of the 172socio-economic outcome areas of the National Agreement. These outcomes are essential in advancing the vision of First Nations communities for sustainable economic growth and social equity.
We are working collaboratively across the , with state and territory governments and with First Nations partners to progress and implement national policies that advance equity and improve outcomes for First Nations people. This includes joint efforts on initiatives such as First Nations economic empowerment, recommendations from the Employment White Paper, and reforms to the system. These partnerships help us to ensure that policy development is inclusive, culturally informed, and aligned with the Closing the Gap priority reforms.
We will continue to work with First Nations peak bodies, building their capacity to represent First Nations interests across the training and employment sectors. Our partnership with the National Indigenous Employment and Training Alliance provides funding to build its capacity as a peak employment services body and access funds for projects that will build the capacity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations (ACCOs) to deliver employment services that better suit the needs of First Nations people.
Through the National Skills Agreement, the Commonwealth will collaborate with state and territory governments to work alongside First Nations communities on a comprehensive package of reforms. An Interim Skills Committee has been established to ensure meaningful engagement and shared decision-making in policy development. The initiative will also enhance investment in ACCOs and First Nations‑owned training providers, support the growth of the First Nations workforce, strengthen cultural capability across mainstream registered training organisations, and improve data and evaluation capacity within the First Nations sector.
We are also changing our ways of working as part of our approach to Closing the Gap. Our Closing the Gap Strategy 2024–2027 articulates our vision to close the gap and contains a set of guiding principles to support our delivery of the priority reforms and socio-economic targets of the National Agreement.
Our Reconciliation Action Plan, due to be launched in 2025–26, will assist our organisation to be a safer, more inclusive and innovative workplace, and to build greater understanding of and respect for the self-determination, resilience, strength, contribution and place of First Nations people and cultures in Australia.
We have embedded new governance arrangements to drive change and ensure strategic oversight of and accountability for delivering on our Closing the Gap commitments. Our new First Nations Executive Board meets quarterly to review the department’s Closing the Gap actions and is responsible for monitoring progress against the department’s commitments. Strengthened Closing the Gap monitoring and accountability mechanisms will help ensure that we are meeting our commitments to improving outcomes for First Nations people.
Enhancing cultural capability and appreciating diversity remains a priority. We will continue to support our staff in building their cultural competence through a range of opportunities and pathways, including the Jawun secondment program, Australian Public Service Academy programs and secondments in our First Nations partner organisations.
As part of our commitment to fostering meaningful engagement with First Nations communities, we have established Indigenous Liaison Officer roles within the department. These roles play a vital part in strengthening relationships with First Nations stakeholders, identifying gaps and barriers in engagement, supporting culturally appropriate service delivery, and ensuring our programs are informed by local knowledge and perspectives.
We are committed to increasing the representation of First Nations people in the . In addition to recruitment opportunities offered through entry-level programs and the SES100 initiative, we have established the Murra Program. This is a pilot program, offering First Nations students from the Australian National University and the University of Canberra part-time employment within our department. Supported by tailored training and mentoring, the program equips students with the skills and networks needed to pursue a career in the . Pending the success of this trial, we plan to explore the feasibility of expanding the initiative to other universities and locations.
Finally, we are implementing the Framework for Governance of Indigenous Data, which upholds the principles of Indigenous data sovereignty. This framework aims to ensure that data relating to First Nations people is collected, managed and shared in ways that respect their rights and perspectives.
Ways we work
How we work
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations supports our ministers to achieve improved outcomes for the community we serve. We work closely with the Jobs and Skills Australia Commissioner, the Student Identifiers Registrar, and our portfolio agencies in meeting our collective policy, program and regulatory responsibilities and in delivering for the Australian Government in skills, employment and workplace relations.
We operate with the highest standards of integrity, leadership and partnership, building public trust by putting people at the heart of what we deliver. We share our diverse perspectives and expertise in a supportive, inclusive and respectful environment.
Our governance
The department’s governance framework outlines the practices and arrangements for managing operations and discharging accountability obligations. It supports the Secretary, as the accountable authority, to discharge her duties under the by providing a mechanism for oversight, transparency and decision-making.
The governance framework contains a set of principles, applicable to all staff, that underpin how we achieve good governance in the department. Established within the framework is the department’s formal governance structure (Figure 3). The department’s governance committees play an important role in overseeing reporting processes, managing and defining our appetite for risk, regularly monitoring our performance and providing a forum for consultation.
Recently the department introduced the First Nations Executive Board to provide strategic oversight of all internal and external policies, programs and initiatives that have First Nations impacts. Importantly, the First Nations Executive Board has an equal number of First Nations and non-First Nations decision‑making members. To further embed our commitment to Closing the Gap, each of the department’s Tier 2 committees (see Figure 3) has a First Nations representative and has been made responsible for overseeing one of the 4 National Agreement on Closing the Gap priority reforms.
Each group in the department – Corporate and Enabling Services; Workplace Relations; Skills and Training; and Employment and Workforce – also has internal governance arrangements in place to manage its policy and program deliverables.
In 2025–26 the department will review the implementation of the governance framework and structure that we implemented from 2024. The review will focus on ensuring that the structure is operating as intended.
Figure 3 – Our governance
Our integrity
The department is firmly committed to delivering on the public sector integrity reform agenda. Our Integrity Unit plays a central role in embedding a proactive, system-wide approach to integrity that ensures we meet both our legislative obligations and the expectations of the Australian public.
In February 2025 we launched our Integrity Roadmap, developed in partnership with an independent integrity advisor. The Integrity Roadmap, linked to the Integrity Framework we released in 2024, outlines a 3-year pathway (2025–2027) to strengthen integrity maturity across the department. It highlights key initiatives, including:
enhancing conflict-of-interest and public interest disclosure capabilities
implementing and monitoring recommendations from the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme
providing tailored integrity education and support.
We continue to build a strong pro-integrity culture by educating our staff, external workforce, and service providers on their responsibilities and protections. Our secure electronic reporting tool enables confidential, anonymous reporting and ongoing dialogue with investigators, reinforcing our commitment to transparency and accountability.
The department remains focused on continuously improving its integrity policies, systems and frameworks to uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct and public trust.
Our cooperation and partnerships
We are committed to engaging genuinely and meaningfully by putting people, businesses and communities at the centre of policy development, implementation and delivery. We understand that effective policy and programs are shaped by a wide range of voices and perspectives. Strong collaboration, engagement and partnerships are essential to achieving our purpose.
Over the course of this plan, our approach will include:
working closely with other portfolio entities to provide advice and deliver services to business, the community and other Australian Government portfolios. Shifting the way governments work together, such as through the shared stewardship model under the National Skills Agreement, will support governments to work collaboratively and purposefully towards priorities
embedding and participating in tripartite governance and practices, making sure the perspectives of both workers and industry are integral to our institutional frameworks
working in partnership with First Nations people on Closing the Gap and other initiatives including establishing on-Country opportunities in remote Central Australia through the Remote Training Hub Network (by 30 June 2028)
seeking opportunities to co-design policies and programs, including better understanding the user perspective and working with the people most affected by our services. For example, the Parents Advisory Group plays a central role in the continuous improvement of Parent Pathways, a pre-employment service. This group of parent representatives, community organisations and academic experts ensure services reflect the lived experiences, priorities and needs of the people we serve
working to strengthen connections and highlight opportunities, such as through our local government engagement approach to the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, which strengthens ties with councils as part of promoting the scheme and its supports to community stakeholders
Figure 4 – Our cooperation
facilitating and supporting ongoing consultation on the implementation of workplace relations reforms, together with employer groups, unions and other key stakeholders
engaging through overseas posts, bilateral partnerships, and multilateral forums such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Labour Organization. Our international engagement strengthens work standards, social wellbeing, productivity and jobs growth in Australia, the Indo-Pacific and globally by improving employment, skills and workplace relations policies
fostering strategic partnerships with key collaborators, including the Foundation Skills Advisory Group.
These innovative, dynamic partnerships place the needs of those we serve first.
Our cross-department Stakeholder Engagement Group brings all areas of the department together to address challenges, coordinate and integrate stakeholder management functions, and share perspectives and resources.
Working closely with the Australian Public Service Commission ( ), we recently conducted an Agency Engagement Maturity Assessment. We are now establishing advisory groups to progress actions arising from the recommendations: creating an engagement framework, cultivating an environment of collaboration, fostering training and professional development, and exploring the feasibility of a client relationship management system.
We thank our social and academic partners for sharing their lived experience, local and industry knowledge, and best practice expertise.
Our corporate strategies and operations
The department’s corporate strategies, plans, frameworks and operations are central to our ability to undertake our key activities and achieve our purpose. This includes supporting our ministers, our people and the Australian public by effectively and efficiently managing:
resources, including people, infrastructure and finances
information, communications and digital technologies and solutions
security, legal, risk, integrity and assurance matters
research, analysis and data.
People
We are committed to setting the standard for meaningful work that puts employee wellbeing at the centre of what we do. Our vision for our future workforce is to be inclusive, curious, collaborative, adaptable and focused on high-impact work so we can effectively and efficiently deliver our purpose.
Our People Strategy 2024–27 and Strategic Workforce Plan 2023–26 pave the way to meeting the needs of both our current and our future workforce. With a focus on wellbeing, culture, capability and leadership, we continue to invest in strategic initiatives designed to attract, grow and retain talent. (Figure 5).
Through the implementation of our Strategic Workforce Plan, we are strengthening our workforce planning capability to proactively identify and address critical roles and emerging skill needs. This enables us to build a future-ready workforce that is agile, capable, and prepared to respond to the evolving needs of government and the Australian public, as well as technological, political, social and economic changes.
Figure 5 – Our people pillars
For 2025–26, the department’s capability priorities will centre on strengthening foundational management skills, enhancing communication capabilities, undertaking high-quality policy development, and advancing data and digital proficiency. We are also strengthening our strategic policy capability, including through the recently established Strategy and Priorities Committee, which is responsible for identifying, shaping and supporting strategic, policy and budget priorities for the department. In addressing these priorities, the department will draw on the Continuous Learning Model and the Agency Engagement Maturity Assessment Tool to develop capability through work, people, resources and courses.
Our strategic people outcomes for 2025–26 are grounded in our commitment to creating a great place to work, enabling high performance, and ensuring we are positioned to effectively deliver on our purpose. These outcomes are:
Enhancing human resources (HR) service delivery: Providing consistent, efficient, and scalable HR services that simplify processes and improve the experience for employees and managers across the organisation
Investing in leadership: Strengthening leadership capability to empower and support managers in their roles and enhance accountability
Cultivating an inclusive and high-performance culture: Creating a workplace culture and environment that positions us as an employer of choice
Leveraging , data and digital tools: Using , data and digital technologies strategically to improve service delivery, inform better decision-making and drive innovation
- Building capability: Developing individual, team and manager capabilities to sustain and elevate organisational performance.
Figure 6: Our people
employees3
Made up of:
Ongoing
Non-ongoing
Full-time
Part-time
Female4
Male4
X4
External Workforce5
Consisting of:
labour hire6
Non- labour hire
Professional contractors
Diversity
employees3 self-identified as:
First Nations
Culturally and linguistically diverse7
Person with disability8
employees9 self-identified as:
LGBTQIA+
Neurodivergent
Strategic Commissioning Framework
The department maintains its commitment to develop and enhance its capability and reduce outsourcing in line with the Strategic Commissioning Framework. In 2025–26 the department will continue to ensure core work is done in-house, with areas of focus including policy, legal and parliamentary, accounting and finance, and service delivery job families. Where outsourcing of core work is required, it will be done in accordance with the limited circumstances permitted by the framework.
Data and analytics
The department collects a wealth of data across its skills, employment and workplace relations activities. This informs our decisions when delivering our programs, forming policies and undertaking evaluations. The department’s Data Strategy 2024–27 outlines focus areas and related activities to build on our data governance foundations, enhance our data capability, develop our data technology ethically, and transform our data analytics, evaluation and integration.
In the first year of our data strategy, we focused on getting our data fundamentals right, including our data policies, processes, culture, governance, and technology. In 2025–26, the department’s Chief Data Officer will seek to deliver greater value from our data. We will work strategically with stakeholders and across government to leverage increased data sharing and integration, advanced analytics and to more effectively and efficiently inform policy development, program design and evaluation.
At the same time, working with our Data Governance Committee, the Chief Data Officer will continue to ensure data is managed safely and appropriately across the department and broader portfolio. We will continue to:
strengthen our data capability and culture
maintain and evolve the guardrails that ensure data security and protect the privacy of individuals
improve the utility of our data
expand the sharing and use of data across the department.
Information and communication technology
Our ecosystem supports our policy and program work to help people build their skills, find a job and build a meaningful career. Most interactions with government are digital, and it is important that our capabilities continue to evolve with the needs of government and the community. We are committed to delivering secure, modern, client-centred infrastructure and services that support the community and the department.
Our Digital Business Strategy guides our direction and supports digital service delivery to our users. The strategy outlines 4 key shifts to transform our digital experience:
facilitating simple access for users
creating cohesive and reliable digital experiences
improving the way we use our data to enhance services
supporting policy development by ensuring our solutions are modern, integrated and connected.
In 2025–26 we will continue to deliver well-architected, client-centred and data-driven digital services to our users and shared services partners. We support a range of agencies through our shared services offering across application development and support, end-user computing and hosting services. We will maintain public trust by designing secure systems that prioritise the user experience and the privacy of our users’ data at every stage of development. To protect our users and the data entrusted to us, we continue to invest in and strengthen the security of our network, systems, and data holdings by focusing on our maturity levels against the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s Essential Eight mitigation strategies to prevent harmful cyber incidents.
The department operates infrastructure, across both on-premises data centres and public cloud networks, in accordance with the Australian Government Secure Cloud Strategy. We continue to modernise our infrastructure, cloud platforms and end-user platforms to ensure they are secure and reliable and continue meet the needs of users.
We understand the productivity benefits that are available from and other emerging technology, and we are committed to safe and ethical innovation. We are using tools to improve staff productivity, and we are experimenting with to improve the digital services that we deliver for our users. We will continue to align with whole-of-government direction and strategies, including the Data and Digital Government Strategy, the Australian Government Architecture, and the Australian Cyber Security Strategy to ensure the appropriate guardrails are in place for our and digital innovation program.
In 2025–26 we will continue to build , digital and data capability in line with our workforce strategy by recruiting and developing new starters through our entry-level programs and investing in the skills of our people. We will continue to offer career pathways by fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and contemporary work environment. We will collaborate with the ’s Emerging Talent Programs Team to administer 4 entry-level programs for the department: the Digital Traineeship Program, the Digital Cadetship Program, the Digital Graduate Program, and the Australian Government Apprenticeship Program. We will also continue to engage Australian School-Based Apprentices.
Infrastructure and facilities
The department shares multiple property leases around Australia with the Department of Education. As opportunities such as expiring leases arise, we consolidate and rationalise our leased footprint with more energy-efficient fit-outs in buildings to align with the Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy. Through 2025–26 we will continue to consolidate leases in Adelaide and Sydney, delivering modern workspaces that support new ways of working.
Our updated office fit-outs incorporate flexible workspaces, collaboration areas, quiet or focus rooms, and storage lockers to support team-based desk sharing, which is being progressively rolled out across the department’s office accommodation. By sharing our office space at a team level, we are optimising our leased footprint while catering for individual work patterns and ensuring that we have the capacity to accommodate our staff working from the office in all locations.
Financial management
Effective financial management is a key element of the department’s sustainability, performance and accountability. Our approach to financial management enables our staff and stakeholders to access the right financial information to make informed decisions. Our Finance Strategy sets out the department’s approach to supporting our financial sustainability through timely and informed investment of our financial resources, guided by key principles.
These principles are:
being strategic and forward looking in our capability, development, and investment in financial literacy
maintaining financial systems that support the delivery of our business outcomes and provide consistent reporting
implementing strong governance and financial controls to support our approach
operating within the resources provided by the Australian Government and harnessing opportunities in the external Budget cycle.
Our Portfolio Budget Statements 2025–26 contain information regarding the department’s Budget estimates (departmental and administered), average staffing levels, budgeted financial statements and high-level performance information for the reporting period.
Embedding a positive risk culture
Our risk culture
To support our purpose, we foster a culture that embraces risk appetite and tolerance. This means an environment where taking well-informed and considered risks is encouraged, discussed and embedded into all that we do.
We continue to invest in and mature the risk capability of our people and processes, learning when things have not gone as planned and adapting in a cycle of continuous improvement.
We give our people the tools and resources to better understand risk management. We also encourage early identification of emerging risks and appropriate escalation of issues so they can be managed collectively.
Our strategic risks are underpinned by our culture and reinforced through our departmental risk approach and our risk governance arrangements, ensuring that risks are considered at all levels.
Our risk governance
Our governance arrangements support the embedding of our positive risk culture by creating an environment that promotes both compliance and innovation in delivering our outcomes.
We have a clear understanding of the department’s strategic risks, which drives our strategic thinking and informed decisions. An enterprise view is taken by our Executive Board, our Audit and Risk Committee and our Risk Committee. The Risk Committee has oversight of our enterprise risk arrangements, including our strategic and emerging risks. Risk identification, mitigation and ongoing management is a part of our project and program management practices.
Our Chief Risk Officer champions our risk culture and plays a central role in creating a positive risk environment with transparent enterprise-level reporting to our governance committees. A dedicated enterprise risk team supports the Chief Risk Officer.
Our enterprise risk management arrangements
We manage risks in accordance with the Commonwealth Risk Management Policy. This is articulated through our Accountable Authority Instructions for Risk Management, our Enterprise Risk Strategy and our Enterprise Risk Management Policy and Framework.
We support our people to work collaboratively to manage shared risk with a common purpose, including shared risks in programs for First Nations people.
Our strategic risk environment
Figure 7 clearly identifies risk focus areas and provides risk statements and mitigation strategies for each of the department’s 8 strategic risks. This provides a line of sight for our people from our operational risks up to our strategic risks.
We regularly report to and have risk discussions with our Executive and our governance committees. This approach informs alignment of our control environment and application of risk appetite and tolerance.
We recognise that our strategic risks do not exist in isolation and are often interconnected. When the profile of any of our strategic risks changes, it can impact the other risks. We understand and respond to these interconnections as a critical part of our decision-making.
Figure 7: Strategic risks 2025–26
| Risk focus areas (Key operational activities that impact the profile of our Strategic Risks) | Strategic risks | Mitigation strategies |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Risk 1 - Delivery | ||
The Delivery risks relate to:
| ’s ability to deliver its key programs, projects and services on time, on budget and to the expectation of the Australian Government and communities can be compromised if the department does not work together in an environment of reforms, competing priorities and resourcing constraints. | The department works with government and key stakeholders to ensure our key priorities align to reforms and to our changing internal and external operating environments. We adjust our delivery methods to be agile in times of pressure and reduced funding. We seek to implement programs to provide outcomes for the people for whom they are intended. We ensure our programs, projects, and services are implemented in an ethical, efficient, economical and lawful manner by adhering to legislative requirements. This is at the core of the integrity culture we uphold. We are invested in transforming the way we work, by using emerging technologies and to harness efficiencies in our service delivery. We collaborate with First Nations people and organisations to ensure programs and services are built on shared decision-making. |
| Strategic Risk 2 - Culture | ||
The Culture risks relate to:
| Our culture may not foster a positive environment where staff feel safe, learn from mistakes, speak up or feel respected for their values. A lack of collaboration and integration across the department may create a culture of not being able to innovate or work in a connected way. | The department promotes cultural safety based on fostering diversity, equity and inclusion with our people. We focus on minimising the physical and psychosocial impacts to staff through early identification and daily interactions. We are embedding cultural change through promotion of our supporting frameworks, policies and procedures. We insist on integrity in all we do, with a particular focus on fairness in our recruitment and procurement practices. Our remote working arrangements allow our people to balance work and life commitments. We encourage our people to be curious and find innovative solutions to achieve shared outcomes. |
| Strategic Risk 3 - People | ||
The People risks relate to:
| Our ability to adapt our recruitment practices to attract people with the right skills and capabilities and retain skilled staff is potentially compromised by a competitive labour market. Our inability to recruit experienced, adaptive staff and those who can specialise in working with all cultural and community groups may compromise appropriate connections with stakeholders. ’s People strategies, workforce planning and manager capability may be ineffective, compromising the physical and psychosocial safety and wellbeing of our people or risking non-compliance. Our ability to deliver quality outcomes is compromised by a reduced workforce and increased number of priorities. | The department has flexible recruitment solutions to enable skilled personnel to be employed nationally. Our Workforce Strategy supports managers to find the right people, with the right skills and experience for delivery of specific activities. This includes surge workforce capability and specialised roles. It also includes representation of First Nations people within our workforce supported by culturally safe, inclusive practices. Our managers lead by example, supporting inclusion and diverse talent, while building the capability of our people through targeted training and professional development programs. Our culture fosters proactively preventing psychosocial impacts on our people by identifying them early, having discussions and offering support through resources, services and our flexible work options. Our flexible and remote working arrangements promote a positive work-life balance and wellbeing outcomes for our people while balancing the needs of the department and the services we provide. |
| Strategic Risk 4 - Stakeholders | ||
The Stakeholder risks relate to our engagement with:
| Our ability to achieve shared outcomes could be affected by ineffective engagement with our ministers, the states and territories, industry and our key stakeholders. Our programs, projects and services are subject to stakeholder fatigue if relationships are not managed in a respectful and meaningful way, especially with competing priorities and reforms. | We are committed to building and maintaining collaborative and respectful relationships with all our stakeholders. This is facilitated through regular and ongoing engagement, bipartisan approaches and taking an informed view of complex matters and negotiations. We proudly embed initiatives to support strengthening and establishing formal partnerships with all cultural communities, as well as with First Nations people in decision-making and policy design aligned with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. |
| Strategic Risk 5 - Policy | ||
The Policy risks relate to:
| Good policy design and implementation to support government decision-making could be hindered by a lack of internal policy capability, evidence and robust data. Implementing policy in an environment of fast-paced delivery, broad reforms and constrained timeframes may limit our ability to share outcomes with our key stakeholders. | We ensure that stakeholder engagement is prioritised in the design and implementation of evidence-based policy to ensure outcomes are achieved for the people they are intended to support. We focus on collaboration to ensure thoughtful and considered responses to whole-of-government policy, including net zero reforms. A key priority is our commitment to implementing community-informed policy with First Nations people. |
| Strategic Risk 6 - Finance and regulatory | ||
The Legislative, Finance and Regulatory risks relate to:
| Delivery and maintenance of our policies, programs, projects and services within the current financial environment may compromise our ability to support people to have safe, secure, and well-paid jobs. Essential prioritisation could impact our operating environment, recognising the pressure on our internal capability and capacity. These pressures could create situations where fraud, corruption, privacy, integrity and legislative compliance may be compromised. Our understanding of the legal context in which we develop policy and programs may not be sufficient to support our objectives. | Our robust and informed internal financial management arrangements allow us to pivot and adjust to the needs of the department so that our outcomes are not compromised by changing priorities. We seek responsible funding for our programs, our projects and the services we provide, while managing our budget obligations in accordance with the responsible use of Commonwealth resources (efficient, effective, economical and ethical) under the . We promote a culture of legislative compliance by engaging with skilled legal professionals. We are building our capability to better engage with legal issues, and we are tightening the connections between our policy and legal areas. We ensure that departmental legal advice is fit for purpose, and we act appropriately and promptly in reliance on accurate legal advice. We have compliance and governance arrangements, including regular internal reviews, and audit and assurance activities to ensure oversight of our legislative and regulatory obligations. |
| Strategic Risk 7 - Information and communications technology | ||
The risks relate to:
| Delivery of projects may be hindered by our inability to meet the demand for skilled labour or to scale up to meet demand. Our systems may be disrupted if they are not adequately funded, managed and protected from cyber security and concentration threats, impacting business delivery and the services we provide to our clients. | We invest in our systems and people through processes to maintain high system reliability, availability and serviceability, and to protect from cyber threats in accordance with the Protective Security Policy Framework. The department manages funding and resourcing constraints through prioritisation of the program. This allows for delivery of priorities, sustainment of systems and infrastructure, and keeping up with emerging technologies, including our adoption of . |
| Strategic Risk 8 - Information and data | ||
The Information and Data risks
| Our information and data may be stolen, leaked, altered, destroyed or subject to unauthorised access and privacy breaches if our people, processes and technology are not appropriately secured. If our data collection, retention, disposal, loss and sharing are not managed appropriately, this could result in loss or exposure of data without safeguards. Data bias may occur if our processes are not designed appropriately, including when working with . | We actively manage and protect data through our governance arrangements while building data capability and understanding with our people, through our data stewards and data asset owners. Our policies, frameworks and adherence to the Protective Security Policy Framework protect our data from cyber security threats while supporting our people to effectively manage data and our information records. We work responsibly with so that our people are informed, understand the limitations and opportunities, and approach it in a deliberate and coordinated way. |
Our risk culture fosters an environment where risk management is prioritised, understood, and used to make decisions – where good risk behaviours are valued and rewarded.
Our risk appetite supports positive risk engagement, considered risk taking and good decision-making. We have embedded this into our everyday risk assessment processes as part of supporting our positive risk culture.
Our control environment is informed by Australian Government operations, Commonwealth legislation, regulations, and policies. This underpins our departmental governance and accountability arrangements, including our ethical values and integrity settings.
Operating risk environment
Our Enterprise Risk Management Policy and Framework outlines our operating risk environment (Figure 8) and how it connects with whole-of-government legislation, our internal processes, allocation of resources, and how we document risks in our enterprise risk system.
Our enterprise risk system allows for flexibility to integrate a range of risk obligations into our risk assessments, such as integrity; child safety; fraud and corruption; climate; procurement and grants; and work, health and safety.
Figure 8: Our operating risk environment
Performance
The department is committed to robust and meaningful performance information, planning and reporting practices, underpinned by a culture of continuous improvement.
We adopt an integrated planning and reporting approach that supports transparency, accountability, and alignment with our strategic objectives (Figure 9). This includes:
clearly outlining the department’s resource allocation in the Portfolio Budget Statements
developing interconnected business, workforce, and risk management plans
completing individual performance agreements for staff
regularly monitoring and reviewing performance measures
publishing our annual report and annual performance statements to demonstrate progress against the commitments set out in our corporate plan.
This integrated approach enables planning and reporting processes that are responsive, evidence-based, and aligned with government priorities.
Figure 9 – Our performance planning and reporting process
Our performance framework
The department’s performance planning, monitoring and reporting framework for 2025–26 is underpinned by the Commonwealth Performance Framework and requirements of the and the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 ( ).
In line with our strategic objectives for 2025–26, our performance tools and guidance materials support transparent, accurate and meaningful reporting.
We regularly review our performance measures and key activities to mature our reporting practices, tools and guidance to foster a strong performance culture across the department.
The department’s performance measures and targets provide a clear line of sight between our activities and our purpose, aligning with the work we do to achieve employment, skills and training, and workplace relations outcomes.10
Our regulatory performance
The Federal Safety Commissioner
The Federal Safety Commissioner and the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner ( ) operate within the department and have regulatory functions, including to develop, implement, administer and promote the Work Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme ( ) for Australian Government funded building and construction work.
The Federal Safety Commissioner and the oversee compliance by companies that are accredited under the , with scheme requirements via onsite safety system auditing and reporting of safety incidents.
The Federal Safety Commissioner and the also produce a range of educational and training resources to help accredited companies improve their safety performance.
Regulatory performance measure
The regulatory performance measure for the Federal Safety Commissioner and the is:
Total Recorded Injury Frequency Rate ( ) collectively reported by companies accredited under the Work Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme is lower than the previous calendar year.
This stretch measure assesses and compares the overall impact of the Federal Safety Commissioner’s performance of their functions described in the Federal Safety Commissioner Act 2022 annually through the use of safety performance data of companies in the building and construction industry accredited under the .
Safety performance is influenced by the and the actions of the Federal Safety Commissioner and the . However, other factors will also affect the safety performance of companies – for example, regulatory actions by state and territory safety regulators and unilateral actions by companies to improve safety.
Regulatory approach
The works to align its regulatory performance to the 3 key principles of regulatory best practice:
continuous improvement and building further trust with stakeholders
risk-based and data-driven decision-making
collaboration and engagement with stakeholders.
For further information about the Federal Safety Commissioner’s regulatory functions and approach, see the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner website
Other regulatory functions
The department continues to mature its regulatory performance framework to ensure it is fit for purpose and reflects best practice principles. While the department is not considered a traditional regulator, we have recently examined our activities that may be considered regulatory in nature. Ministerial Statements of Expectations and Statements of Intent will be publicly available at the DEWR website. We will continue to consider and review performance reporting on our regulatory functions.
Our performance measures
The department’s performance measures presented in this plan show how each performance measure relates to outcomes, programs and key activities.
Presented on the following pages are the department’s outcomes, programs and key activities, and our planned performance towards achieving our purpose for 2025–26 to 2028–29.
The department expects to report its achievements against its planned performance in the 2025–26 annual performance statements through performance results narrative and analysis.
The following tables list our performance measures, state our targets where appropriate, and indicate the methodology for determining achievement against each target.11
Our commitment to Closing the Gap is highlighted in the ‘Our commitment to Closing the Gap’ section, which recognises our shared responsibility at the Commonwealth level for Closing the Gap outcomes. Additional employment cohort data, including First Nations data, is available on the DEWR website.
Note: Performance measures remain the same from the 2024–25 reporting period, though some changes have been made to measure titles and methodology. Two changes have been made to targets: one involves an increase, and the other introduces a new target for its first year. Relevant details about these changes are provided in the footnotes.
Employment and workforce performance
Outcome statement 1: Foster a productive and competitive labour market through policies and programs that assist job seekers into work, including secure work, and meet employer and industry needs.
Program 1.1 – Employment Services
The employment services system has the following key objectives:
to help job seekers find and keep a job
to deliver high-quality and efficient employment services
to support target groups to improve their work readiness and find employment.
| Key activity | Provide quality services to job seekers and employers | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
1.1 | Proportion of participants who are satisfied with the overall quality of services delivered [EM002] |
| Proportion of a representative sample of participants who indicate they are either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the services received from Workforce Australia during the reference period. Weighted responses reporting that participants are satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of services over weighted number of responses to the survey question. Data source: Post-Program Monitoring – Online Services Satisfaction Survey and Quality and Progress Survey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
1.1 | Proportion of employers who are satisfied with the assistance from Australian Government employment services12 [EM010] | 80% or higher | The proportion of employers that are satisfied with the assistance from Australian Government employment services,13 based on their most recent recruitment experience, over a 12-month period. Data source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
1.1 | Investment per employment outcome [EM011] | $3,500 or lower per employment outcome | The investment per employment outcome is calculated by dividing, for the reporting period:
by
Data source: Post-Program Monitoring – Labour Force Survey, program administrative data from the ESSWeb system and departmental administrative data for program expenditure | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
1.1 | Average time to process decision-ready employer applications to join the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme14 [EM012] | 12 weeks or less | The sum of the total time to process all decision-ready applications finalised in the reporting period over the total number of decision ready applications finalised in the reporting period. Processing time is measured from when a application is considered decision-ready until that application is finalised.15 Data source: Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Information System and program administrative data | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Key activity | Support job seekers to achieve sustainable employment | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
1.1 | Proportion of Workforce Australia Services participants who achieve a 26-week Employment Outcome [EM005] | 15% or higher | The proportion of participants in Workforce Australia Provider Services who recorded at least one job placement which converted to a 26-week outcome, over a 12-month period. Data source: program administrative data from the ESSWeb system | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
1.1 | Proportion of participants in work or study three months after exiting services [EM006] |
| The proportion of a representative sample of participants, who indicate they are in work and/or study about 3 months after exiting employment services during the reference period. Weighted responses reporting participants are employed and/or studying over weighted number of responses to the survey question (asked of participants who have exited employment services). Data source: Post-Program Monitoring - Labour Force Survey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Key activity | Support target groups to improve their work readiness and prepare for employment16 | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
1.1 | Proportion of Workforce Australia Services participants who believe working with their provider has improved their chances of getting a job [EM009] | 66% or higher | Proportion of a representative sample of participants who indicate that services received improved their chances of getting a job during the reference period. Weighted responses reporting that services received by participants improved their chances of getting a job by a little or a lot over weighted number of responses to the survey question. Data source: Post-Program Monitoring - Quality and Progress Survey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Note: Other performance measures that relate to the key activity of supporting target groups to improve their work readiness are:
- EM006: Proportion of participants in work or study 3 months after exiting services, Workforce Australia – Transition to Work (target c). This program supports target groups through delivery of tailored support to young people aged 15–24.
- EM011: Investment per employment outcome captures the average investment in target groups through Workforce Australia Services providers delivering tailored support participants identified as having complex needs or barriers.
Skills and training performance
Outcome statement 2: Promote growth in economic productivity and social wellbeing through access to quality skills and training.
Program 2.1 – Building Skills and Capability
The government is working to create an effective and efficient skills and training system that is industry led and delivers the skills Australian employers need. Building skills and capabilities is central to Australia’s economic growth, competitiveness, and business productivity. The national training system provides employees and potential employees with the skills and capabilities required for a job or pathway into a job.
| Key activity | Enhance the quality of vocational education and training ( ) | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
2.1 | Proportion of graduates who are satisfied with the overall quality of the training [SK001] |
|
Data source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research ( ) National Student Outcomes Survey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
2.1 | Proportion of graduates who are employed or enrolled in further study after training [SK002] |
|
Data source: National Student Outcomes Survey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Key activity | Respond to national future skills needs through access to graduates with the required skills | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
2.1 | Proportion of apprenticeship commencements in priority occupations17 [SK011] | Maintain or increase compared to previous year | Proportion of apprenticeship commencements in priority occupations in the first 6 months of the financial year compared to the number of commencements in priority occupations for the first 6 months of the previous financial year. Data source: , National Apprentice and Trainee Collection and annual Australian Apprenticeship Priority Lists | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
2.1 | Proportion of employers using nationally recognised training18 [SK004] | 50% or higher | Number of businesses with employees that, in the previous 12 months, have used nationally recognised training, have had apprentices/trainees, or have had jobs that require a vocational qualification, over the total number of businesses with employees. Data source: , Survey of Employers’ Use and Views of the System (SEUV) | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Key activity | Improve language, literacy, numeracy and digital ( ) skills for target groups | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
2.1 | Proportion of participants assessed in the Skills for Education and Employment ( ) program who show language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills improvements19 [SK005] | 80% or higher | For general services: the proportion of participants who demonstrate progression against the Australian Core Skills Framework ( ) or Digital Literacy Skills Framework ( ) at a rate of at least one indicator for every 200 hours of training, out of all participants who exited the program after 6 months and completed at least 200 hours of training. For workplace-based training projects: the proportion of participants who complete at least one comparable unit of competency or one non-accredited training module; or achieve a reported or increase, out of all participants who complete a project. Data source: Workforce Australia Online for Providers system. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Program 2.2 – Student Loans
The program aims to remove the up-front cost barriers to training to increase access and participation. This is achieved through the provision of income-contingent loans for students undertaking certain higher level courses.
| Key activity | Reduce barriers to undertaking quality | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
2.2 | Proportion of units of study successfully completed by Student Loans ( ) students [SK007] | 75%20 or higher | Number of reported equivalent full-time study load ( ) units of study passed, over the total number of units of study attempted excluding any ongoing units of study. Data source: program administrative data, interfacing with Tertiary Collection of Student Information | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
2.2 | Proportion of students who report that financial barriers to training were removed by participation in the program [SK009] | 80%21 or higher | Proportion of students who say they would not have undertaken training without Student Loans access. Data source: Student electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form ( ) survey results | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Note: Proportion of participants assessed in the Skills for Education and Employment ( ) program who show language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills improvements (SK005) also contributes to the key activity of reducing barriers to undertaking quality .
Program 2.3 – Nuclear-powered Submarine Program
The program maintains a taskforce to provide advice on utilising Australia’s skills and training system to support the workforce requirements of the Nuclear-powered Submarine Program.
| Key activity | Respond to national future skills needs through access to graduates with the required skills | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
2.3 | Support to the Nuclear-powered Submarine Program is provided through engagement and advice on workforce and training22 [SK010] | No target23 | The department will report information on engagement and advice activities24that have been undertaken under this program during 2025–26. Data source: Internal departmental records | Yes | No | No | No |
Workplace relations performance
Outcome statement 3: Facilitate jobs growth, including secure work, through policies and programs that promote fair, productive and safe workplaces.
Program 3.1 – Workplace Support
This program contributes to the outcome through:
the promotion of fair workplaces by ensuring the protection of employee entitlements in certain circumstances
ensuring the efficient operation of the workplace relations system through initiatives designed to encourage employers and employees to adopt fair, productive, flexible and safe workplace relations.
| Key activity | Promote fair, productive and safe workplaces through policies and programs | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
3.1 | Proportion of assessed economic data and analysis to support the effective operation of the workplace relations system that is timely [WR001] | 100% | Timeliness will be assessed on compliance with the following deadlines:
Data source: administrative data | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
3.1 | Total Recorded Injury Frequency Rate ( ) collectively reported by companies accredited under the Work Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme [WR004] | Rate is lower than the previous calendar year | The 25 for all accredited companies is calculated by dividing the total number of safety incidents for all companies by the total number of hours worked. The result is multiplied by 1 million to give a per 1 million work hours. Due to the reporting timeframes for accredited companies, this target will be measured over the calendar year rather than the financial year. Data source: Scheme Tracking and Accreditation Reporting system (data from accredited companies) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Key activity | Support the protection of workers’ entitlements | Years reported in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Performance measure | Target | Methodology | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 |
3.1 | Average processing time for initial effective claims under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee program26 [WR002] | 14 weeks or less | The time to process a claim is calculated by determining the period (in weeks) between the initial claim effective date and the decision date for each initial claim. This is a proxy measure of efficiency. Data source: eFEG system (Angular based, Cloud hosted system) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
3.1 | Proportion of claim payments made under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee program that are correct26 [WR003] | 95% or higher | Accuracy testing is based on assessing a random sample of 40 Fair Entitlements Guarantee claim decisions per month. The results of monthly assessments provide an annual measure of claim payment accuracy over the course of the year. Data source: eFEG system (Angular based, cloud hosted system) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Acronyms and Compliance
Acronyms list
Table 1: Acronyms
| Acronym | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ACCOs | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations |
| ACSF | Australian Core Skills Framework |
| AI | artificial intelligence |
| APS | Australian Public Service |
| APSC | Australian Public Service Commission |
| ASA | Australian Submarine Agency |
| DEWR | Department of Employment and Workplace Relations |
| DLSF | Digital Literacy Skills Framework |
| e-CAF | electronic Commonwealth Assistance form |
| EFTSL | equivalent full-time study load |
| FOI | freedom of information |
| ICT | information and communications technology |
| IT | information technology |
| MOU | memorandum of understanding |
| NCVER | National Centre for Vocational Education Research |
| OFSC | Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner |
| PALM scheme | Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme |
| PGPA Act | Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 |
| PGPA Rule | Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 |
| RAP | Reconciliation Action Plan |
| SCF | Strategic Commissioning Framework |
| SEE | Skills for Education and Employment |
| TPS | Tuition Protection Service |
| TRIFR | Total Recorded Injury Frequency Rate |
| VET | vocational education and training |
| VSL | VET Student Loans |
| WHS Scheme | Work Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme |
Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 requirements
Table 2: requirements
| Source | Matters to be included | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | ||
| 16E(1) | The corporate plan for a Commonwealth entity must cover a period of at least 4 reporting periods for the entity, starting on the first day of the reporting period for which the plan is prepared under paragraph 35(1)(a) of the . | Secretary’s introduction |
| 16E(2)1(a) | The corporate plan must include a statement that the plan is prepared for paragraph 35(1)(b) of the Act. | Secretary’s introduction - Statement of preparation |
| 16E(2)1(b) | The corporate plan must specify the reporting period for which the plan is prepared. | Secretary’s introduction - Statement of preparation |
| 16E(2)1(c) | The corporate plan must specify the reporting periods covered by the plan. | Secretary’s introduction - Statement of preparation |
| Purposes | ||
| 16E(2)2 | The corporate plan must state the purposes of the entity. | Our purpose outcomes, programs and key activities |
| Key activities | ||
| 16E(2)3 | For the entire period covered by the plan, the corporate plan must outline the key activities that the entity will undertake in order to achieve its purposes. | Our purpose outcomes, programs and key activities |
| Operating context | ||
| 16E(2)4(a) | For the entire period covered by the plan, the corporate plan must state the environment in which the entity will operate. | Our operating environment |
| 16E(2)4(b) | For the entire period covered by the plan, the corporate plan must include the strategies and plans the entity will implement to have the capability it needs to undertake its key activities and achieve its purposes. | Our corporate strategies and operations |
| 16E(2)4(c) | For the entire period covered by the plan, the corporate plan must include a summary of the risk oversight and management systems of the entity, and the key risks that the entity will manage and how those risks will be managed. | Embedding a positive risk culture |
| 16E(2)4(d) | For the entire period covered by the plan, the corporate plan must include details of any organisation or body that will make a significant contribution towards achieving the entity’s purposes through cooperation with the entity, including how that cooperation will help achieve those purposes. | Our cooperation and partnerships |
| 16E(2)4(e) | For the entire period covered by the plan, the corporate plan must include how any subsidiary of the entity will contribute to achieving the entity’s purposes. | Not applicable. The Department does not have subsidiaries. |
| Performance | ||
| 16E(2)5(a) | For each reporting period covered by the plan, the corporate plan must include details of how the entity’s performance in achieving the entity’s purposes will be measured and assessed through specified performance measures for the entity that meet the requirements of section 16EA of the . | Our performance measures |
| 16E(2)5(b) | For each reporting period covered by the plan, the corporate plan must include details of how the entity’s performance in achieving the entity’s purposes will be measured and assessed through specified targets for each of those performance measures for which it is reasonably practicable to set a target. | Our performance measures |
| Publication and distribution | ||
| 16E(3) | The corporate plan must be published on the entity’s website by the last day of the second month of the reporting period for which the plan is prepared. | This corporate plan was published on the DEWR website by 31 August 2025. |
| 16E(5) | The corporate plan must be given to the responsible Ministers and the Finance Minister as soon as practicable after the plan is prepared; and before the plan, or the version, is published under subsection (3). | This corporate plan was given to the responsible Ministers and the Finance Minister prior to publication. |