Australia's vocational education and training (VET) sector plays a vital role in equipping the nation's workforce with the skills needed to drive economic growth, social inclusion, and individual opportunity. However, many Australians continue to struggle with gaps in foundational skills - the core competencies of language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy (LLND) along with employability skills that underpin success in learning, work and life. Addressing these foundation skills gaps is critical for Australia to build an adaptive, resilient and thriving society.
Recent research and policy initiatives have shone a spotlight on the importance of foundation skills and explored ways to strengthen foundation skills training, especially for priority groups like adults, remote and First Nations communities, and migrants and refugees. This article examines key findings and recommendations from these efforts and considers implications for the VET sector. It argues that enhancing the reach and effectiveness of foundation skills provision will require a collaborative, community-led approach that leverages the sector's diversity and expertise while responding to each learner's unique context and aspirations.
The State of Foundation Skills in Australia
Multiple studies have revealed concerning levels of foundation skills gaps among Australian adults. The Reading Writing Hotline's 2022 survey of adult literacy providers found that over two-thirds of respondents knew someone with unmet literacy needs. Jobs and Skills Australia's recent discussion paper on a national Foundation Skills Study cited Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing 44% of Australians aged 15-74 had literacy levels below the minimum required to meet the complex demands of everyday life and work.
Low foundation skills are associated with poorer employment outcomes, lower wages, reduced social participation and higher risk of involvement with the criminal justice system. Conversely, effective foundation skills provision can yield substantial economic and social benefits. The 2022 House of Representatives inquiry report Don't Take It As Read estimated that lifting the literacy rate of the bottom quintile of workers to the average would increase GDP by around $60 billion annually.
These statistics underscore the need for accessible, high-quality foundation skills training as an integral part of Australia's VET offerings. They also highlight the importance of outreach and awareness-raising to engage learners, with the Reading Writing Hotline survey identifying television as an effective medium. A combination of aggregate data and individual learner stories can powerfully convey the impacts of low foundation skills and the transformative potential of building these key capabilities.
Serving Diverse Learners Across Contexts
Foundation skills learners in VET are highly diverse, spanning demographic groups, geographies, prior education levels, and motivations for improving their LLND and employability skills. This diversity demands training options and approaches tailored to each sub-cohort's needs and goals.
For adult learners in general, flexibility is paramount. Many are juggling work and family responsibilities alongside study. Modularised, self-paced, and workplace-based delivery models allow learning to fit around busy schedules. Andragogical practices that honour adults' life experience, orientations and agency as learners are also vital.
In regional and remote areas, place-based solutions are crucial. Jobs and Skills Australia has found that VET students in regional Australia are more likely to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Training must be culturally safe, community-led and aligned with local priorities. Respondents to a government discussion paper emphasised that each remote community is unique; cookie-cutter programs imposed from outside rarely succeed.
This is especially true for First Nations communities. The delivery of the 'Yes I Can' adult literacy campaign in several Aboriginal communities illustrates the power of First Nations-controlled, contextually-embedded foundation skills initiatives. Evaluations found the grassroots campaign fostered empowerment and leadership as well as skills gains, with participation rates above 20% in some communities and a 74% completion rate overall. Tying learning to community development goals was key. Reductions in crime and improved interactions with the justice system were further ripple effects.
For culturally and linguistically diverse migrant and refugee learners, foundation skills training must be coupled with English language support and guidance to navigate unfamiliar systems and institutions. Resources in learners' first languages can enhance comprehension and preserve pride in cultural identity. Bilingual tutors and trainers are invaluable.
Coordination and Capacity-Building
While a differentiated approach is essential, system-level reforms can enhance foundation skills provision across Australia's VET landscape. The 2023 National Skills Agreement between the Commonwealth and state/territory governments includes an initiative to ensure access to foundation skills training for people who have left school, along with a commitment to develop a 10-year national foundation skills strategy by 2024.
Greater coordination and information-sharing among the diverse organisations involved in LLND and employability skills development - public VET providers, private RTOs, adult and community education (ACE) providers, libraries and community centres - could improve coverage and efficiency. Building the capacity of specialist foundation skills trainers is also critical, perhaps through formal qualifications and professional development.
Advances in digital technologies open up new possibilities for adaptive learning platforms that diagnose and target individual skills gaps. Increased digital delivery of foundation skills training, undertaken thoughtfully, could expand access for many learners. However, it is important to recognise that some may lack the devices, connectivity and digital skills needed to engage effectively online. Blended models combining face-to-face and tech-enabled learning may be optimal.
Underpinning all of these efforts must be a robust evidence base. The Foundation Skills Study being undertaken by Jobs and Skills Australia is an important step, involving a national survey in 2024 to assess adults' LLND skill levels and how they use these skills in various spheres of life. Over time, longitudinal research tracking the trajectories of foundation skills learners could powerfully demonstrate the value of investing in this domain.
A Call to Action
Gaps in language, literacy, numeracy, digital and employability skills should not determine the course of any Australian's life. Yet for too many, unmet foundation skills needs constrain options and hope for the future. As a society, we have a collective responsibility to address this challenge. The VET sector is uniquely positioned to lead the charge.
Vocational trainers, leaders and policymakers must advocate for foundation skills as an essential component of the nation's skills ecosystem. At the same time, a "one size fits all" model will not suffice. Partnerships with community organisations, First Nations groups, migrant resource centres and employers can ensure training offerings are fit-for-purpose. Adult learners themselves should be engaged as co-designers, building on their strengths and reflecting their aspirations.
Strategies to lift foundation skills must be integrated into the core business of VET, not siloed as an optional add-on. Literacy, numeracy and digital skills are deeply entwined with industryspecific technical competencies; pedagogies should reflect this interconnection. Foundation skills should also be embedded into Australia's VET equity agenda, as low LLND is often compounded by other barriers to access and attainment.
With collaborative commitment, the VET sector can reimagine foundation skills training for the 21st century. The result will be more confident individuals, empowered communities, and an economy powered by the capabilities of all. Now is the time to invest boldly in the bedrock skills that will shape Australia's shared future. The potential gains - for learners, for industry, for society - are immense. Let us work together to seize this vital opportunity.
