OECD Reviews on Local Job Creation Indigenous Employment and Skills Strategies in Australia

Foreword
Acknowledgements
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Executive Summary
	Building the skills of Indigenous Australians
	Connecting Indigenous Australians to jobs
Assessment and recommendations
	The context for this OECD report
	A persistent gap in labour market outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
	Transforming Indigenous employment services
	Building the skills of Indigenous Australians
		Move Indigenous Australians up the skills ladder
		Higher-level apprenticeship programmes could provide pathways for Indigenous Australians to raise their skills levels
		Embed mentorship into the delivery of employment and skills training programmes
	Connecting Indigenous Australians to jobs
		Place-based employment strategies can advance the principles of self-determination and empowerment
		Build the capacity of providers to deliver Indigenous employment programmes
		Work with employers to promote cross-cultural training
		Enhanced access to pre-employment supports and services can help ensure a sustainable job
		Promote stronger local partnerships by reducing administrative burden
	Fostering local ecosystems for Indigenous job creation
		Promote stronger community engagement with Indigenous Australians
		Better track Indigenous entrepreneurship activity that provides new opportunities for job creation
Chapter 1.  Building the skills of Indigenous Australians
	Recent demographic trends in Australia
		Indigenous Australians represent an increasing source of labour supply
	The education and training outcomes of Indigenous Australians
		More Indigenous Australians are attaining education and training
		Vocational education and training opportunities can smooth the transition from school to work
		Vocational education and training is a shared responsibility between national and state governments
		More Indigenous Australians are participating in the vocational education and training system
		Increased participation in training can narrow employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
		Indigenous Australians tend to be over-represented in lower-level qualifications, which does not align with future skills demand
		Apprenticeships and traineeships can help Indigenous Australians access higher level skills opportunities
		Higher education programmes targeted to Indigenous Australians
			Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program
			The Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP), which commenced in 2010, provides funding to higher education providers to improve access to undergraduate courses for people from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds, as we...
			The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME)
			Indigenous Student Success Programme
			Support for Indigenous higher degrees by research
	Programme principles emerging from case studies at the local level
		Employer engagement in skills development opportunities is critical
		Taking a sector-based approach can ensure training meets future demand
		Delivering training in a workplace setting has the potential to better link Indigenous Australians to a sustainable job
		Embedding mentoring into skills development opportunities is critical
		Access to basic literacy and numeracy training can help to build good employability skills
	What can Australia learn from other OECD countries?
		Creating Indigenous-led institutions can increase trust with the education and training system
		Indigenous adult education programmes need to be designed to respond to the future of work
		Promoting access to higher education opportunities narrows employment and income gaps
	Note
	References
Chapter 2.  Connecting Indigenous Australians to Jobs
	Recent labour market trends in Australia
		Significant employment gaps exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
		Indigenous Australians face disparities in income
		Low-income status is related to the jobs in which Indigenous Australians are employed
	National policies and programmes supporting better Indigenous employment outcomes
		Refreshing the Closing the Gap Targets
		jobactive is a main employment programme that aims to get people into work
			Providers are paid to get people into work
			jobactive’s performance management framework rewards employment outcomes
		The Employment Fund provides flexible funds to tailor employment services and supports
		The future of employment services
		Indigenous Australians represent an increasing proportion of the jobactive caseload
		There are a number of targeted programmes that complement jobactive and aim to connect Indigenous Australians to jobs
			Vocational Training and Employment Centres
	Programme principles emerging from the case studies at the local level
		Indigenous-led delivery can contribute to better employment outcomes
		Wrap-around services and intensive case management strategies can address multi-faceted and complex employment barriers
		Having dedicated staff that actively work with employers to support Indigenous employment can generate new job opportunities
		Leveraging local partnerships and networks builds community-led employment programmes
	What can Australia learn from other OECD countries?
		Customising employment services to Indigenous needs
		Using digital technology to deliver employment services to Indigenous Peoples
		Supporting youth transitions into the labour market
	References
Chapter 3.  Fostering Indigenous job creation in urban areas
	Urban Indigenous Australians
	Involving Indigenous Australians in urban decision-making
		Employment and skills gaps are large within cities in Australia
		Urban Indigenous policies and programmes in Australia
			Sydney
			Perth
		Critical success factors
			Cities as spaces of policy opportunity
			Leveraging procurement contracts
	Promoting local entrepreneurship opportunities for Indigenous Australians
		The Indigenous entrepreneurship context in Australia
		Indigenous entrepreneurship policies in Australia
		Critical success factors
			Strengthening indigenous education
			Making financial capital more accessible
			Promoting entrepreneurial opportunities among Indigenous Australian youth
			Supporting business networks for Indigenous entrepreneurs
		Australian public policies supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs
			Indigenous Entrepreneurs Package
			Indigenous Business Australia (IBA)
			Indigenous Procurement Policy
			Indigenous Business Sector Strategy (IBSS)
			Driving Indigenous Economic Development through Infrastructure Projects
		Non-governmental initiatives: Indigenous entrepreneurship programmes in Australia
			First Australian’s Capital
			New South Wales Indigenous Chamber of Commerce (NSWICC)
			Barayamal
			Sydney Start-up Hub
			Business Connect
			Opportunity hubs
			Many Rivers
	What can Australia learn from other OECD countries?
		Involving Indigenous Peoples in urban decision-making
			Lessons from Canada
			Lessons from New Zealand
		Promoting local entrepreneurship opportunities for Indigenous Australians
			Lessons from Canada
			Lessons from New Zealand
			Lessons from the Barents Euro-Arctic co-operation region
	References