Foreword

The world of work is changing. Digitalisation, globalisation, the green transition and population ageing are having a profound impact on the type and quality of jobs that are available and the skills required to perform them. The extent to which individuals, firms and economies can reap the benefits of these changes will depend critically on the readiness of adult learning systems to help people develop and maintain relevant skills over their working careers.

Career guidance for adults is a fundamental policy lever to motivate adults to train and to help address the challenges brought about by rapidly changing skill needs. Such services are particularly important amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, as many adults have lost their job and require assistance in navigating their career options in the rapidly evolving labour market.

To explore this issue, the OECD has undertaken an ambitious programme of work on the functioning, effectiveness and resilience of adult career guidance systems across countries. As part of this project, the OECD carried out an online survey in 11 countries (Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States) between 2020 and 2021 to better understand the user experience of adults with career guidance, and any barriers adults might face in accessing these services. The OECD also prepared a policy questionnaire to collect information on good practices across OECD countries in the area of career guidance for adults.

This report provides a review of career guidance for mid-career adults in Australia. Chapter 1 discusses trends affecting the demand for skills in Australia, and presents international survey evidence on the use of career guidance among mid-career adults. Chapter 2 examines what constitutes high-quality career guidance for mid-career adults by looking at how career guidance services should be delivered, how to motivate mid-career adults to seek out career guidance, who should provide the services, and how to fund them. Chapter 3 provides an assessment of the current policy co-ordination and service provision for career guidance for mid-career adults in Australia, and makes recommendations on how they could be improved. In addition to new survey evidence, the report’s analysis draws on virtual interviews with Australian stakeholders.

Dzana Topalovic and Katharine Mullock from the Skills and Employability Division of the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs are the authors of this report. Erika Xiomara Chaparro Pérez provided valuable statistical research. The work was carried out under the supervision of Glenda Quintini (Manager of the Skills Team) and Mark Keese (Head of the Skills and Employability Division) and benefited from helpful contributions from members of the Skills team. Special thanks are due to the many Australian stakeholders for sharing their expertise and insights during virtual interviews between July and September 2021.

This report is published under the responsibility of the Secretary General of the OECD, with the financial assistance of the Australian Department of Education, Skills and Employment. The views expressed in this report should not be taken to reflect the official position of OECD member countries.