Prime Minister Scott Morrison has unveiled his ‘Job Maker’ plan to overhaul vocational education and secure jobs for Australia’s future.

As the nation continues to move out of lockdown, the Prime Minister says the government will now focus on rebuilding the economy and “win[ning] the battle for jobs”.

Young Australians aren’t being enrolled in courses which will fill the jobs of the future, he argues, citing the complexity of the “clunky”, “unresponsive”, and “fundamentally flawed” vocational education and training (VET) system as a barrier.

While the Commonwealth provides states with $1.5 billion in VET funding every year, Mr Morrison says a lack of oversight causes course prices and quality to vary dramatically across borders.

“It is no wonder when faced with this, many potential students default to the university system, even if their career could be best enhanced through vocational education.”

Over the next three to five years, Mr Morrison said the federal government will work with state and territory leaders to make sweeping changes, but has not increased funding in the short term.

“I’m very committed to investing more, in a better system,” he said.

Tax and industrial relations reforms are also on the ‘Job Maker’ agenda, further details of which Mr Morrison said will be revealed in the weeks and months ahead.

The Prime Minister also restated Australia’s commitment to ongoing multilateral trade.

“We will not retreat into the downward spiral of protectionism,” Mr Morrison said.

“While a trading nation, we will never trade away our values or our future for short-term gain.”

Image: Nine News