The Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) is grateful for the opportunity to make a submission response to the Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) Foundation Skills Study Discussion Paper. SCOA represents settlement agencies across Australia providing direct services to people of refugee and migrant background. We are the national peak body for settlement. Our goal is to help ensure the best possible settlement outcomes for migrants and refugees settling in Australia. Our submission is based on previous consultations conducted over the past 24 months, in which issues relating to foundation skills, digital literacy, and employment were raised across the SCOA network. SCOA conducted a targeted consultation for this submission with over 23 attendees from various member organisations in April 2023. Our submission feedback is mostly in response to this question:
Which groups would you like to see more extensive research into and why? For example, First Nations, recent migrants, mature age workers, Australians in rural or remote locations?