Service Skills Australia

On behalf of the Service Skills Australia Board, it is our pleasure to invite you to the 2008 Service Skills Australia National Conference, Update, Motivate, Educate, to be held in Sydney in February 2008. 

We know only too well that many sectors of the service industries are facing shortages of skilled labour, from junior staff right through to skilled employees, supervisors and managers. In an environment that is widely being described as a 'skills crisis', how can the service industries meet their skills and labour needs?

Update, Motivate, Educate 2008 will provide a forum for industry and the vocational education and training sector to discuss these issues, and generate new ideas to help employers and training providers respond effectively to these challenges.

The conference aims to tackle a range of key issues surrounding skills issues, including:

• How the service industries can compete with other industries for suitable candidates - and how they can retain their quality staff and reduce employee turnover
• Successful strategies Australian businesses are using to motivate, engage and upskill their staff
• How the VET sector can contribute to industry skills development over the short, medium and long-term
• Successful partnerships between industry and training organisations

Service Skills Australia has prepared a stimulating program of speakers from industry, government and the VET system, who will focus on key issues such as skills development, staff retention and recruitment and the value of training in contributing to business productivity. In addition to a range of keynote speakers and panel discussions, the conference will also include a range of concurrent workshops to allow for interaction and discussion around specific approaches within each of the industry sectors. There will also be ample time for discussion and networking, to enable delegates to make connections and generate new ideas.

We look forward to welcoming you to Sydney for a stimulating program and we hope that you will take the opportunity to join us in February 2008.

Ian Blandthorn, Chair Service Skills Australia	John Sweetman, Deputy Chair Service Skills Australia	Jeanette Allen, CEO Service Skills Australia