WorkReady Planning Process
The WorkReady planning process
Introduction
WorkReady is a South Australian Government initiative that brings together a range of training, employment and
skills initiatives.
Through WorkReady more than $300 million per year is invested by Government in training subsidies and
employment support services for South Australians.
The planning process described here, and in the diagram overleaf, is an overview of how the Department of
State Development determines which training courses to subsidise with public funds.
Key contributions to this process include advice from the Training and Skills Commission, historical activity
levels, information about the relevance of qualifications for the occupations, existing or continuing commitments,
and government policies and priorities.
The list of courses funded by Government is published on the WorkReady Subsidised Training List.
1: What skills are needed by the State?
Public investment in courses continues to be strongly aligned with those identified as a priority for industry by the
State’s Training and Skills Commission.
The Commission provides independent advice to the State Government on the skills and workforce development
needs of industry. In providing its advice, the Commission consults with industry representatives and individual
enterprises across regions of the State. The Commission’s work provides an indication of the Demand for
Qualifications in South Australia.
In 2015-16, the Commission conducted an extensive survey of industry and employers about their training
priorities, and provided the State Government with the Report on South Australia’s Industry Priority Qualifications
(IPQ). This report, together with training package information, has been used in linking relevant qualifications to
occupations.
The Commission’s advice about industry requirements is one factor in determining which courses are funded by
the State Government. Economic and participation factors, historic training activity, the State’s economic
priorities, social inclusion, training needs of people in regional South Australia, the fee for service market and
stakeholder feedback are also considered.
The Department of State Development also considers the future training needed to support job opportunities
from major construction projects, State Government initiatives and renewal plans such as the Northern
Economic Plan, and Commonwealth initiatives such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the
defence submarine contract.
2: Where is Government support needed?
In determining which courses should be funded, the Government must ensure that public funds are used
responsibly and effectively. This means that government funded activities should complement not replace funds
from other sources, including from private individuals, employers or the Commonwealth Government. In making
investment decisions, the Department of State Development makes a determination about the need for public
investment. This takes into consideration fee for service activity levels, the nature of the demand for training,
and the capacity of the market to deliver the skills needed.
WorkReady Planning Process - Version 1.0 – May 2016
www.skills.sa.gov.au
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3: What should Government purchase?
The Department of State Development then considers how many training places in these courses can be
supported by the available budget.
These decisions are guided by the following priorities:
1. Maintaining a balanced budget
2. Honouring financial commitments to existing students and contracts
3. Supporting TAFE SA through its transition
4. Stability in the training market
5. Aligning to the economic and social needs of the state (including identified Industry Priority
Qualifications).
The Department of State Development has developed a Public Value Assessment Framework, which provides
an evidence-based approach to its decision-making.
For each course the Public Value Assessment Framework balances economic and participation factors such as:
 the Training and Skills Commission’s advice about qualifications demand
 recent employment trends across the state
 links to the State Government’s strategic priorities
 the impact of the qualification on employment prospects.
1. What Skills are needed by the State?
Demand for
Qualifications
Link between
Qualification and
Occupation
Historical Training
Information
Translating Occupation
Demand to Qualification
Demand
Training Requirement to
meet the State’s
Economic and
Participation needs
2. Where is Government support needed?
Fee for Service
Information
Adjustment for fee for
service activity
Focus of State
Government Investment
3. What should Government purchase?
Existing Training
Commitment
Determining highest
priority
Industry Priority
Qualifications
Public Value
Framework
State Government
Policy Direction
What will be purchased
under WorkReady
WorkReady Planning Process - Version 1.0 – May 2016
www.skills.sa.gov.au
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