In this milestone episode of the Reimagined Workforce podcast, I’m joined by Professor Barney Glover, Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia, to explore how data, insights and emerging technologies are reshaping the future of work.

Professor Glover leads a national body of work connecting labour market dynamics, skills systems and workforce planning. Supported by Deputy Commissioners Megan Lilly and Trevor Gould, the agency provides critical evidence to help individuals, organisations and governments make better workforce decisions.

In this conversation, we unpack key insights, including:

Jobs and Skills Report 2025 – highlighting the need to align productivity, participation and skills. Nearly 90% of employment growth has come from service industries, and AI is augmenting rather than replacing work, increasing demand for human skills like communication and problem solving.
VET National Data Asset Report – demonstrating strong employment outcomes and income uplift for those completing vocational education.
Higher Education Outcomes Report – providing longitudinal insights into career pathways and earnings growth following university study.
Generative AI insights – reinforcing that most roles will be augmented, reshaping tasks and elevating cognitive and human capabilities.
Emerging priorities – including a shift to a skills-first economy and development of a National Skills Taxonomy to better define and deploy capability.

We also explore key workforce challenges, including:

Misalignment between career aspirations and labour market demand
The growing importance of vocational pathways alongside higher education
The need for large-scale AI capability uplift
Persistent participation gaps, including young people not in education, employment or training
The role of inclusion and diversity in addressing skills shortages and improving productivity

What becomes clear is that workforce planning is no longer just about headcount. It is about capability, adaptability and informed decision-making, underpinned by high-quality data.

As Professor Glover AO shares, the opportunity is not just to respond to change, but to anticipate it—using evidence to design a workforce that is more inclusive, productive and future-ready.

The Reimagined Workforce podcast is brought to you by Workforce Transformations Australia Pty. Ltd.
All opinions expressed are the speaker's and not the organisations they represent.
If you have a story about a workforce transformation to share and would like to be a guest on this podcast, please contact us at kathhume@workforcetransformations.com.au.
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Learn Solve Thrive: Making a difference that matters in a fast and complex world : Hume, Kathryn Lee: Amazon.com.au: Books