Summer Symposium Series: Shared prosperity through skills

The VSA’s Summer Symposium Series – held in late 2025 into 2026 - explored how intersectional barriers to equity influence skills development, workforce participation and economic inclusion.

The series was delivered across 3 sessions:

1. Skills, gender, intersectionality and equity – this symposium explored how gender and intersectional disadvantage shape skills development, training pathways and workforce participation in Victoria.
2. Self-determination, Treaty and Koorie prosperity - delivered in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc. (VAEAI), this session explored how self-determination and Treaty are shaping Victoria’s skills system and creating pathways to prosperity for First Peoples.
3. Disability, vocational education and training (VET) and workplace – this session highlighted the importance of co-design, lived experience and strong partnerships in addressing systemic barriers and improving equity.

Recognising that overlapping identities and experiences can compound marginalisation in education, training and employment systems, the series highlighted the need for systemic reform to address inequities.

Discussions identified a range of 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. Priorities include designing more inclusive pathways, strengthening partnerships, improving cultural safety and accessibility, building workforce capability, and using data and policy levers to drive lasting change.

Through collaboration between industry, government, TAFEs, training providers, community organisations, advocacy groups and people with lived experience, the insights from the symposium will help inform future action with a skills lens, to remove structural barriers and support greater participation, progression and prosperity for all Victorians.

Read more about our Summer Symposium Series.

Read more Victorian Skills Authority news.