Knowledge-based jobs and skills vital to the long term prosperity of Western Sydney
15 September 2017
Speaking at the Western Sydney Business Connection “State of the Region”
event held in
Parramatta today,
Deloitte Western Sydney Managing
Partner, Danny Rezek told the 550 attendees that that while momentum
behind
Western Sydney projects is strong, the region cannot afford to
take its eye off the ball.
Mr Rezek, one of the authors of “Shaping Future Cities: Designing
Western Sydney” report and Chairman of the Steering Committee[1], said
that there is unprecedented momentum behind delivering the 133
recommendations that will shape its future.
“Seventy percent of the recommendations made have commenced, and in fact
15% (21) have already been completed despite the original plan of these
being commenced over a staggered start based on priority and need,” he
said. “This has all been achieved within eighteen months of the five
year program.”
The Shaping Future Cities program (SFC) aspires to create some 200,000
jobs in the west by 2020 and the Greater Sydney Commission has flagged
the region as a hub for health and education, tourism, professional
services and advanced manufacturing. However, Rezek said that there is
still much work to be done.
“We are at a crucial time of development to establish a legacy that will
affect many of Australia’s next generations,” he said. “Badgery’s Creek
alone is now set to become the most connected business district in the
country.”
“Western Sydney currently accounts for 8% of Australia’s GDP, represents
10% of Australia’s population, and is expected to account for 15% of
Australia’s population growth in the next 25 years,” he said. “Urban
growth of this magnitude is a rarity in the cities of advanced nations,
so we can’t afford to waste the significant momentum and investment.
Key focus: Western Sydney skills shortage
As part of a panel discussing “Western Sydney’s Future – investing in
people” at the event today, Rezek said, “For the region to truly harness
its potential, further work needs to be done to ensure we have
knowledge-based and skilled jobs growth developed in proportion to other
Sydney districts.”
“The Western Sydney district has more than 150,000 small businesses that
provide 880,000 jobs. Many of these employ fewer than 20 people, and
many will be seeking to harness the opportunities presented by Badgery’s
Creek by employing local professional employees to help build their
businesses.”
“However, over the next 20 years the number of small businesses is
expected to grow to over 250,000.”
Services that support startup and business expansion in the region are
known to be thinly distributed and awareness of these services are low.
“Steps need to be taken to ensure that talent with professional skills
are readily available within the local district, and startup support
services should also be boosted,” he said.
One of the recommendations that the Shaping Future Cities Steering
Committee is proud of is the commitment to the establishment of the
first STEM school at the Sydney Science Park, enabling increased job
opportunities in the future world of work.
“The Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta (CEDP) school will be a
unique learning community teaching how to code robots, liaise with NASA
space stations and discover the latest in IT programming, among other
things,” said Rezek.
Another initiative to build the skill base accessible in Western Sydney
include
TAFE’s “Skills Exchange program”, which helps to integrate
better learning by ensuring that skills are taught and developed on the
job for existing and entry level workers.
TAFE in collaboration with private sector partners, is establishing new
skills exchange programs on Western Sydney based projects such as the
Western Sydney Stadium construction, Parramatta Square, Liverpool,
Northern Roads upgrade and hopefully in the future,
Western Sydney
Airport.
The use of the Skills Exchange program is another example of how the
region can ensure it has the right talent ready for the unfolding of new
infrastructure.
“Another key recommendation of SFC was ensuring the voice of youth was
heard in shaping their working future,” said Rezek. “The current
Deloitte and TAFE youth barometer survey that is being completed by
secondary students across the State will provide a unique voice to the
region’s future workers.
“This will better align their career aspirations, skills and training
and the broad range of job opportunities being created across Western
Sydney,” he said. “We are excited in the role we are playing to make
this happen.”
About Shaping Future Cities
Deloitte has been instrumental in driving collaboration between 400
contributors towards the first ever business-led plan for jobs creation
in Western Sydney, and released the paper providing the blueprint for
development in 2015. To learn more about Shaping Future Cities, see
www.deloite.com.au
The Deloitte report specifies those industries where Western Sydney
already enjoys relative economic advantages, as having a catalyst effect
on driving jobs growth. They are the health and education precincts
(HEPs), manufacturing, agribusiness and tourism.
1. The Steering Committee is supported by 25 champions that drive key recommendations from the report.
--ENDS--
Source: Deloitte - www2.deloitte.com
Contact: Danny Rezek +61 2 9322 3889
External Links: https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/future-of-cities/articles/designing-western-sydney.html
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