Job Services Australia is the Australian Governments national employment services which works to the needs of the individual. The Australian Government launched Job Services Australia on 1 July 2009 with the aim of increasing employment participation, building skills in demand and helping individual job seekers, particularly disadvantaged job seekers, find sustainable employment.
Job Services Australia also represents a focus on the needs of employers, with emphasis placed on helping employers find work-ready job seekers. Job Services Australia is a simple effective employment service, and the result of extensive consultation and planning.
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Employment services review background
On 1 July 2009, the Minister for Employment Participation, Senator Mark Arbib, launched Job Services Australia. The previous employment services system had been in place for more than 10 years and was reviewed to ensure it was still meeting the needs of job seekers and employers. The review revealed a need for change; to simplify, streamline, and improve the services and provide a greater emphasis on skills development and training.
The review was guided by the following principles:
- early intervention to minimise the number of long-term welfare-dependent Australians of working age, starting with a review of the Job Seeker Classification Instrument
- providing services that are relevant to the circumstances and needs of the job seeker
- ensuring job seekers who are struggling the most will get the most intensive assistance
- providing meaningful incentives for training that will improve the employability of job seekers
- ensuring that job seekers who need training can access training
- offering rewards when providers find sustainable jobs for job seekers as fast as possible
- ensuring there is a performance management and tendering system that properly accounts for quality performance and
- minimising the amount of time and money spent on administration.
Consultation and development
Job Services Australia represents an investment of $4.7 billion by the Australian Government. This includes $298.5 million to provide immediate services for workers made redundant in the recent global recession through no fault of their own. The development of Job Services Australia, however, began well before the economy started to experience any shocks.
In January 2008, the former Minister for Employment Participation, the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, wrote to employment services providers, employers, welfare and advocacy organisations and other stakeholders, seeking their views on the future direction of employment services. The Minister asked stakeholders for suggestions on how to improve assistance to the unemployed.
Through a range of meetings and further consultation, views were sought from employment services providers, employers and employer associations, unions, state and federal parliamentarians and program participants. Job seeker satisfaction surveys, program evaluations and reports of the Auditor-General also informed the review.
As part of the process, a discussion paper, Exposure Draft and later a Request for Tender for Employment Services 2009-12 for the new employment services were released to the public. The resulting consultation and feedback received on these documents informed the development of Job Services Australia.
Transition to the new services
The transition to Job Services Australia was managed by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). A Transition Reference Group was established to assist and advise on detailed arrangements for transition to Job Services Australia to ensure limited disruption to providers and job seekers.
Review of the Job Seeker Classification Instrument
Referring job seekers to appropriate services is a critical part of the effective operation of Job Services Australia. That’s why the Australian Government has conducted a Review of the Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI), the tool that is used to stream job seekers to appropriate levels of servicing within Job Services Australia.
Performance management framework
A new performance management framework was developed as part of Job Services Australia and focuses on providing:
- simpler and more transparent arrangements that promote continuous improvement in service and outcomes
- accurate and detailed comparisons of employment providers across Australia
- incentives for sustainable employment outcomes, particularly for the most disadvantaged job seekers
- a system that emphasises lasting results and prevents job seekers being churned through the system, or parked without assistance appropriate for their needs
- encouragement for skills development and training that lead to sustainable employment.
- increased emphasis on employer needs
- job seeker feedback and
- support for the social inclusion of job seekers, including through partnerships and local solutions
The new framework also incorporates feedback from employers in the quality key performance indicator, encouraging Job Services Australia providers to develop strategies to help employers address their skill and labour needs. As such, Job Services Australia providers will be rewarded for working with employers to supply work-ready job seekers who can meet local labour market demands.
A new Code of Practice and Service Guarantees will ensure that job seekers get the quality, individualised help they need to gain skills and find sustainable work.
More information on Job Services Australia
For more information on Job Services Australia visit: