The Potential Benefits Of The National Reform Agenda: Australia Government Productivity Commission
This is a study of the potential economic and fiscal impacts of the National Reform Agenda of the Council of Australian Governments. The National Reform Agenda includes an interlinked human capital stream covering health, education and training, and work incentives with benefits from each area feeding into the other. The results of the study are exploratory and indicative of potential benefits.
The education and training element seeks to equip more people with the skills needed to increase workforce participation and productivity. The four areas targeted are: early childhood development; literacy and numeracy; transitions to further education and work; and adult learning. For each of the areas, discrete groups of potentially at risk individuals were selected. Indicative high-level outcomes for the transition component included increasing the proportion of young people making a smooth transition from school to work and higher education, retention in education, and higher participation in upper secondary education. General improvements in educational attainment were seen as important also for workforce participation and for health.
From both a policy and career development perspective, the study is a very useful introduction for policy makers, researchers and career guidance community leaders to interlinks between policy areas, to macro-level indicators, and to the potential benefits of smooth transitions to further education or work to which career development interventions contribute.