"Ai Group welcomes today's comments by the Federal Treasurer setting a more ambitious target for unemployment and acknowledging the role of businesses in achieving this important national objective," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association, Ai Group said today.
"While making further inroads into unemployment may involve extra government spending, if successful it can also add to economic capacity and improve the budget bottom line in coming years. Most importantly, it will help address a range of social and economic disadvantages associated with joblessness.
"As the economy improves further, inroads into unemployment will depend critically on policies aimed at addressing the mismatches in the labour market between the skills of applicants and the skills required by employers. These include policies that will lift the skills and employability of unemployed people; policies that offer support and skills development for people who are more likely to become unemployed (such as unskilled workers, people raised in jobless households and people in at-risk industries and occupations); and reforms to education and training so that high quality and work-related courses are developed and provided to meet emerging and current skills gaps," Mr Willox said.
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