Public sector outsourcing: Implications for training and skills

Since the early 1980s, governments and policy makers in Australia have emphasized the importance of the national skills base to the attainment of international competitiveness. Workforce training programs and institutions have undergone considerable restructuring as a consequence. In recent years, there has also been a rapid growth in the use of contract labour supplied by agencies to perform specific functions. This paper addresses the impact of these concurrent developments in the area of clerical and administrative work. Focusing on two key areas of public sector employment, the Australian Public Service and the higher education system, it highlights the potentially damaging effects a reliance on contract employees can have on training and the skills base.