The biggest risk for workforce development is not doing nothing - it’s doing a lot of “something” that doesn’t match future demand. Sometimes well-meaning governments, training providers, workplaces, providers and communities run programs, workshops, expos, incentives, or grants without a shared, long-term view of what jobs and skills will be needed locally in 3–5+ years.
Without anchoring supply-side interventions in a credible demand forecast, resources get scattered, duplication occurs, and misalignment persists.
If we commit instead to targeted, purposeful, demand-led conversations that are rooted in specific industries and employer’s needs, anchored to geography where appropriate and job clusters the payoff is profound - sharper alignment, better use of resources, and more resilient local economies.
This blog demonstrates what we mean through four lenses:
- The Back-of-the-Napkin Lunch - Education, Employment & Workforce Development co-hosted by Wendy Perry and Kerryn Smith on 1 October 2025
- The City of Charles Sturt Workforce Think Tank hosted by Selma Barlow, Kym Wundersitz, Emma Grivell, and Alan Sibbons
- Upper Spencer Gulf (mining, renewables, green jobs)
- National & international perspectives (ASEAN, USA, mining, green economy)
Defence & Supply Chain: The Back-of-the-Napkin Lunch, reinterpreted
That event is a good example of sharing what works when you orient everything toward demand. The conversations were targeted, about industry sectors such as mining and resource or defence supply chains, procurement and consortiums with purposeful, not perfect networking.
Key lessons:
- Surface the “hidden” demand - Many small businesses struggle to know where tenders are, what capabilities are needed, or how to enter consortiums. In that room, discussing procurement cycles, numbers and demand trajectories gives clarity.
- Enable rapid sense-making & matchmaking - Because the group was purposeful, participants didn’t waste time on generic chatter as they talked about the specific requirements.
- Allow space for surprise insights: - One participant cited how hearing about the USA position in vocational training “sparked something” in them and that’s how latent capability becomes new initiative.
Place + Demand via the City of Charles Sturt’s Workforce Think Tank
The City of Charles Sturt is doing something smart. Their recent Workforce Think Tank signals the seriousness of bringing government, business, training, employment services, community, employers and peak bodies into a shared, data-grounded space:
- They’re not just talking about skills gaps now - they’re intentionally looking at 3–5+ year demand outlooks.
- They’re naming the levers the council can influence (job numbers, employment land, industry clusters, enabling environment) rather than pretending to control everything.
- They’re encouraging a place-based approach i.e. matching the strengths of the local population and business base to the kinds of jobs that will matter in this geography.
In short, the council could step into a coordinating role - not prescribing, but shaping strategy together with industry, Australian Government with DEWR, Local Jobs Coordinators, South Australian Government, employers, industry reps, training providers, and residents.
That is exactly the sort of demand-supply “meeting space” that can turn a flurry of supply-side activity into a coherent roadmap.
Upper Spencer Gulf - From Mining & Resources to Clean Energy and Green Jobs
If anywhere illustrates the need for demand-led, place-based planning, it’s the Upper Spencer Gulf (Whyalla, Port Augusta, Port Pirie). This region is undergoing a transformation, with major projects, renewables, and industrial re-alignment.
A few key insights:
- The region is expecting thousands of new jobs tied to major projects. The newly released Upper Spencer Gulf Workforce Strategy anticipates ~4,000 new project roles and 1,500 ongoing roles. Department of State Development+2Small and Family Business+2
- Among priority industries are energy and renewables, mining and critical minerals, and defence/manufacturing. careerblueprint.com.au
- The region’s strengths in industrial infrastructure, port access, mineral resources, and renewable resources lend a comparative advantage only if the workforce is ready. SACOSS+3netzero.gov.au+3Department of State Development+3
- The transition to net zero and the hydrogen / green iron / green steel agenda make “green jobs” not peripheral, but central to the region’s future. careerblueprint.com.au+3Regional Australia Institute+3SACOSS+3
- For example, the region is slated for $20+ billion in renewable projects, port-based hydrogen hubs, and green iron ambitions. Regional Australia Institute+1
- To anchor this, the state government has established the Spencer Gulf Jobs & Skills Hub at Whyalla TAFE SA to connect regional workers to these opportunities. Small and Family Business+1
- The Regional & Industry Partnerships Program gives funding for employer-led, place-based workforce projects in the region. Whyalla Support
What this means in practice:
- Programs and projects must consider sequencing - which phases of projects will need which trades, digital, project management, and support functions.
- Training, apprenticeships, and reskilling must be aligned to pipeline forecasts, not current anecdotal shortages.
- Barriers like housing, transport, childcare and liveability must be integrated into workforce planning and not afterthoughts.
- People in the region (or adjacent regions) should see credible pathways into high-demand roles, not generic training with no clear job outcome.
The Upper Spencer Gulf is becoming a living laboratory for how to do strategic workforce planning in a dynamic industry and energy transition context.
Global & National Perspective - Insights from our work
Mining & Resources / International Comparisons
Work in mining and resources is rooted in the idea that mapping workforce needs must be forward-looking. In this blog we discuss the Mining Skills Navigator (Victoria) and how such frameworks help anticipate the trades, operators, geoscientists, and digital roles required in the decade ahead. Workforce BluePrint
Contrasting Australia’s VET system with U.S. talent strategies in the AI era, points out that many U.S. jurisdictions could combine strategic foresight, industry-engaged training, and aligned funding models to retain agility. Workforce BluePrint
That comparative lens matters where demand doesn’t stay within borders. As global supply chains shift, Australian industries must prepare for what’s coming, whether it’s in advanced manufacturing, resource processing, or AI-enhanced operations.
Australia-ASEAN Engagement & Expanding Demand Horizons
At the Australia-ASEAN Business Forum (where Wendy Perry was a speaker), one topic was how Australia’s skills and training systems can partner with dynamic ASEAN markets. auaseanbusinessforum.com+2wendyperry.com.au+2
The logic is that we can’t just look locally; we must orient workforce systems so that Australian organisations, educators, and talent are capable of competing (or partnering) in regional and global demand networks. That means anticipating cross-border manufacturing, digital trade, renewable energy investments, and supply chains linking Australia with ASEAN economies.
Wendy Perry’s advocacy in that forum underscores how demand-based thinking must not be inward-looking. Australia’s workforce development should align to opportunities in ASEAN, not just domestic demand.
What This Means for Strategic Workforce Planning
Putting all of this together, here’s what we see as best practice and a potential blueprint for others:
- Demand-first Anchor interventions in credible 3–5+ year forecasts
Whether for defence, mining, green tech, energy, or supply chain, don’t build programs before you know what roles are coming. - Place + cluster orientation Work by local government or regions (e.g. Charles Sturt, Upper Spencer Gulf) where you can align labour supply, land use, infrastructure, and local strengths.
- Industry engagement & co-design Conversations must include firms, industry bodies, educational institutions, and peak associations. In Charles Sturt, DEWR, Local Jobs Coordinators, industry bodies, training providers, and community ought to be involved.
- Bridge global and local demand Use insights from international systems (U.S. talent strategies, ASEAN trends) to shape local competitiveness and avoid being blindsided.
- Enable infrastructure & enabling constraints Don’t treat housing, transport, land use, and liveability as afterthoughts they’re part of the workforce equation. (In the Upper Spencer Gulf region, housing is already being flagged as a bottleneck for several projects). Adelaide Now
- Adaptive implementation with feedback loops Demand changes. New projects can get delayed or cancelled so workforce strategies must be monitored, adjusted, and responsive.
- Coordination & capacity-building in local institutions Councils, regional development agencies, workforce hubs (e.g. Spencer Gulf Jobs & Skills Hub) must step up orchestrating, convening, and sustaining demand-supply conversations.
On this note, if you’d like to have workforce relevant conversations that are focussed on problem solving and practical needs, please reach out via wendy@workforceblueprint.com.au, thank you.