Service industries skills and training survey launched

Enterprises in the service industries are being invited to help shape the future of workforce and skills development by participating in the Service Skills Environmental Scan 2009 survey.

The survey, launched by Service Skills Australia, will investigate skills shortages and training requirements in the service industries.

It offers businesses a unique opportunity to communicate the skills and labour issues that affect them.

Industry participation in the survey is crucial to ensure that the skill needs of the service industries are effectively identified and fed into government decision-making.

The survey forms part of Service Skills Australia's Environmental Scan 2009. Environmental Scan 2009 will draw together intelligence and research about existing and emerging trends in the service industries - and how these impact on skill and labour needs.

The Scan has two aims:

• To highlight trends for the service industries as a whole, and elaborate on the most important developments for each sector.
• Outline the effects of these trends on skills development and the vocational education and training system, and flag where government responses should be targeted.

The Service Industries Environmental Scan will also drive the development and improvement of Service Skills Australia's training packages and inform our future priorities for our work.

Service Skills Australia is calling for enterprises that work in the service industries to take part in the survey.

The survey is available at www.serviceskills.com.au/scan. It opened on 2nd July 2008 for six weeks.

Environmental Scan 2008 has now been published and is available at www.serviceskills.com.au/publications