Response to the Australian Government's Shaping the Future of Employment Services discussion paper
- Rana Kordahi
- Aug 3
- 3 min read
By Rana Kordahi
Last week I submitted my response to the Australian Government's Shaping the Future of Employment Services discussion paper.
I'm not going to lie, it was nerve-racking. Not because I wasn't confident in the recommendations, but because I genuinely care about this sector and the people who work in it.
When you put your ideas forward on something that matters to you, there's always a degree of vulnerability. Also, I chose to submit it under my own name because I wanted it to be a personal contribution, reflecting my own experience, observations and views developed and not a commercial submission.
For more than two decades, I've worked in, and alongside, Employment Services in both Australia and the UK. During that time, I've seen extraordinary practitioners change lives, often while working under significant pressure and competing priorities.
Yet through every contract change and policy overhaul, one theme has remained remarkably consistent. Some of the most capable, passionate and committed people in our sector struggle with one aspect of their role more than any other: Employer Engagement.
And it's easy to assume Employer Engagement is just another ad hoc task that practitioners pick up over time. I don't believe that's the case for many. Employer Engagement is a specialised, advanced skill that requires intentional and ongoing capability development. Whether it's done by someone who manages a caseload or a person hired specifically to do that role.
Some may say, "Of course you believe that, you've built your career around Employer Engagement capability."
They're right. But I didn't choose this path because it was the easiest or most profitable. In fact, it would have been easier to sell job seeker courses that were funded by the government.
I didn't start this business because I saw a market opportunity. I started it because, before for years I watched too many altruistic and talented people driven out of Employment Services because of the stress associated with Employer Engagement.
Many lost confidence, experienced burnout, or left the sector altogether because they were expected to perform one of the most challenging aspects of their role without the opportunity to intentionally develop the capabilities it demands.
I also understand the argument for greater role specialisation. In many circumstances, separating Employer Engagement from other frontline responsibilities makes a great deal of sense, and it's an approach I've recommended myself. But at the same time, job seekers deserve everyone advocating for them, and if that means picking up the phone or knocking on employer doors, so be it.
Also, many small providers don't have the resources to create separate specialist teams. Even where specialist roles exist, many practitioners still engage employers as part of their day-to-day work. The issue isn't only whether providers split the roles; it's also whether people who perform Employer Engagement have the capability to do it well.
While many providers have made significant investments in developing Employer Engagement capability, particularly over the past few years, it should no longer depend solely on individual provider initiatives.
Employer Engagement capability should be recognised by DEWR as a core workforce capability, with clear capability expectations and benchmarks to support consistent practice across the sector.
My submission focuses on one recommendation I believe is fundamental to the success of the proposed reforms and to sustainable employment outcomes:
Recognising and strengthening Employer Engagement capability across the Employment Services workforce.
Thank you to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations for inviting submissions from across the sector. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion.
📄 I've also made my submission publicly available for anyone interested in reading it. View submission here 👇
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