On 11 September in Melbourne, Andrew Giles, Australia’s Minister for Skills and Training, joined Jayant Kumar Singh Chaudhary, India’s Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, at the Australia India Business Council’s education event. The gathering brought together business leaders, education providers, and community representatives to discuss “Shaping the future of Skilling between Australia and India.”
Giles opened by stressing that the topic was “an incredibly timely one” given the way the skills systems of both countries are increasingly interlinked. He said Australia was fortunate to be in the fastest growing region in human history and to have 65,000 years of First Nations knowledge alongside multicultural perspectives from across the globe. But he warned, “having been lucky isn’t enough. We have to work to realise these advantages and to secure a prosperous future.”
He pointed to recent incidents of division and said, “just a few days ago we saw a small minority—here in Melbourne, but around the country too—attack both the oldest and newest Australians. Attempting to divide and diminish us. They won’t succeed. Because this is not who we are as a country. We are a diverse country, and our diversity makes us stronger.” He added, “I’m determined, alongside every member of the Albanese Labor Government, to say to every Australian with links to India—you belong.”
Turning to policy, Giles outlined what he described as the government’s turnaround of skills and training after a decade of neglect. He cited Free TAFE, the creation of Jobs and Skills Australia, and a $30 billion National Skills Agreement as measures that are already reshaping the system. He noted the 2024 Jobs and Skills Report found a third of occupations were in shortage and said, “to ensure we keep turning around the skills shortages Australia is facing, which were at the worst levels we’d seen in half a century at the time of our Government coming to office.”
Migration, he argued, has been essential to addressing workforce gaps. “Research shows that skilled migration, particularly employer-sponsored migration, contributes strongly to productivity by offering a pipeline of skilled workers, and by injecting new ideas and innovation into the labour market,” he said. The government has released new Guiding Principles and Standards for Skilled Migration Assessing Authorities, informed by consultation with industry, unions, and community groups, to improve integrity and consistency.
The minister underscored the importance of India to Australia’s training and education outlook. “There is no doubt that education and skills are cornerstones of the bilateral relationship between Australia and India,” he said, adding that India’s long-term economic vision would require global skills partnerships. He highlighted the International Automobile Centre of Excellence in Gujarat, a collaboration between Australia’s Kangan Institute, the state government and Maruti Suzuki, as a model.
Indian students, he noted, are already vital to Australia’s classrooms and workplaces. “Australia continues to be a destination of choice for many Indian students, and India remains Australia’s top source country for international VET students—around one in five international VET students in Australia are from India,” he said. The government has introduced reforms on student visa processing, strengthened integrity measures, and pledged to combat exploitation.
Giles also flagged ongoing cooperation, including mutual recognition of qualifications and a STEM fellowship program for women, and said he looked forward to further talks with Indian counterparts at the next Australia India Education and Skills Council meeting in December. “Australia and India are close partners, and I’m looking forward to discussing how we can collaborate even more effectively to bridge critical skills gaps and strengthen our relationship,” he said.
He closed by thanking the Australia India Business Council for hosting the event and said the discussions were timely and essential for both countries.
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