Skills Reports
The skills of food, beverage and pharmaceutical industry workers are crucial for producing safe, high-quality products. These industries constantly adapt their processes and develop broader product ranges to meet consumer preferences and needs. Environmental concerns are also at the forefront of processing considerations, with the increasing use of innovative methods and digital skills to achieve sustainability and validate the provenance of ingredients. While there are major growth opportunities within the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, there are also considerable challenges associated with resource sustainability and security, volatile global markets, food waste, changing consumer tastes, climate change and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply chain.
Skills Impact prepared the Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical Industry Skills Report at request of the Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical Industry Reference Committee (IRC). It provides information on industry-specific skills and priorities additional to those covered in the Agribusiness, Food and Fibre Industries Skills Report. The report may also assist in identifying industry issues requiring consideration alongside work to streamline and reform the Australian VET system, including through cross-industry collaboration.
The report underwent public consultation on the Skills Impact website from 14 July until 8 August 2022, and we appreciate all feedback received. Your input has been used to make final edits to the document, which is available to download below.
Skills Forecasts
In previous years, skills reporting has taken the form of a Skills Forecast or Annual Update, which have been submitted by the relevant IRC to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC). They propose a four year plan for reviewing and developing relevant units, skill sets and qualifications across a training package. They were created once every three years and updated annually. The Annual Updates identified any specific changes to the industry environment, and to address current priority issues.
Every year in April, the full Skills Forecast or Annual Update was submitted by the relevant IRC to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC). The AISC would then advise Commonwealth and State Industry and Skills Ministers on the implementation of national vocational education and training policies, and approve nationally recognised training packages.
The AISC would draw on this information to update their AISC National Schedule, and to determine future Training Package Projects.
Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical Skills Forecasts Archive
2021 Annual update to 2019 – 2022 Skills Forecast
2020 Annual Update to 2019 – 2022 Skills Forecast
2016 – 2019 Four Year Work Plan
Please note: IRC Skills Forecasts were originally called Four Year Work Plans.
Development Process of IRC Skills Forecasts
