In late 2025 into 2026, the Victorian Skills Authority brought together leaders from industry, government, TAFEs, training providers, community organisations, advocacy groups and people with lived experience to participate in our inaugural Summer Symposium Series: Shared prosperity through skills.
The 3-part series explored how barriers to participation, progression and prosperity continue to affect diverse cohorts across Victoria.
Participants heard from leaders and experts across the skills, training and employment sectors who shared evidence, lived experience and examples of best-practice. Conversations explored how systemic barriers can affect access to training and employment, with discussions highlighting issues such as inflexible training models, workplace bias, barriers to career progression, cultural safety, accessibility and the need for stronger data, accountability and cross-sector collaboration.
Recognising that overlapping identities and experiences can compound marginalisation in education, training and employment systems, the series consistently highlighted the need for systems, policies and workplaces that recognise diverse experiences and support equitable outcomes across education, training and employment.
Each symposium examined unique challenges across industry, training and government, including inflexible systems, workplace bias, barriers to participation and progression, and the need for stronger data, coordination and accountability. These challenges can limit equitable access to education, employment and economic opportunities for under-represented groups.
The symposiums also highlighted opportunities to embed equity into policies, workplaces and training systems. Participants emphasised the importance of inclusion by design, strengthening partnerships, improving cultural safety and accessibility, building workforce capability, collaboration and lived experience, and using data and policy levers to drive lasting change. Discussions also reinforced the need to move beyond participation alone and consider how education, training and employment systems can support long-term prosperity, leadership and meaningful outcomes for all Victorians.
The Summer Symposium Series demonstrated the value of bringing together diverse perspectives to examine complex challenges and identify practical opportunities for reform to create a more inclusive skills and training system.
Through collaboration between industry, government, TAFEs, training providers, community organisations, advocacy groups and people with lived experience, the insights generated through the symposiums will help inform ongoing conversations about creating a more equitable skills system, strengthening workforce participation and supporting shared prosperity through skills.
Thank you to all speakers who participated in all 3 symposiums for generously sharing their expertise and lived experience, which provided invaluable insights, enriched shared understanding and helped advance meaningful discussion.
Read more about the symposium series.
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