No time to wait: fast-tracking generalist skills
2 April 2025
Browse most job ads today and you’ll notice a pattern. Beyond the technical requirements and specific role demands, there's a consistent set of skills that transcends industry boundaries.
We consistently hear from industry that rapid technological advancements are changing the nature of work. They emphasise the need for generalist skills that enable adaptability in evolving work environments, such as communication, digital skills, problem-solving and teamwork.
Equally valued are technical proficiencies like project management and business acumen, which complement these essential human capabilities.
Future Skills Organisation is focused on the highest-impact opportunities to address these critical skills gaps to better serve learners and industry. We have a clear plan to grow the generalist skills needed across the economy, enhance specialist training relevance, and scale capabilities for a skills-driven future.
Today, I want to share more about how we aim to support the development of generalist skills across the workforce.
A faster, more responsive approach
The demand for general digital capability, including generalist cyber security and generative AI skills is immediate. Industry leaders tell us they can’t wait years for updates to flow into the national accredited training system. Learners need timely access to critical digital skills training that is valued by industry.
That’s why we’re trialling and evaluating a more agile approach which aims to get training products and teaching and assessment materials into the hands of trainers and learners more quickly.
This approach will involve thorough consultation with key stakeholders, including industry, education providers, learners and states and territories.
We will work with delivery partners to develop teaching and assessment materials alongside the training package accreditation process to ensure the training products can be brought into the nationally accredited system.
Once teaching and assessment materials have been developed, we will work with partner Registered Training Organisations to trial the delivery of the training to specific cohorts of learners while the accreditation process is completed.
To make sure this training meets industry and learner skills needs we are basing it on DigComp – the European Union’s Digital Competence Framework for Citizens. This will provide a common language and framework for this training which can then be contextualised across industries. The training products will also be developed with industry consultation.
Going beyond digital
In addition to digital skills, our Workforce Plan 2024 revealed how broader generalist skills are also a priority.
We will evolve the Business Services (BSB) Training Package – one of the most widely used across occupations and industries – to include generalist skills. By releasing non-accredited training products more quickly, we can address these urgent skilling needs in a timely manner while supporting the broader VET system.
This work will be done in conjunction with industry and our fellow Jobs and Skills Councils.
Aligned with the VET Qualifications Reform direction, we aim to ensure that any new BSB training products are designed with the right templates and level of prescription, so they can be contextualised for different industry settings.
Moving forward, this plan will help grow the general digital capability skills needed by everyone across the economy and the broader generalist skills required for an evolving job market.
Interested in getting involved? Become a Collaborator to help us shape the future of skills.
By Sally Browner, Director, Digital, Future Skills Organisation
Published in Future Skills News, FSO’s LinkedIn newsletter here.