Radio Brisvaani
Brisbane, September 23 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) has welcomed the launch of the Women’s Employment and Skills Pathways (WESP) program, saying the pilot can help migrant women navigate skills and qualifications recognition while improving their access to employment opportunities.
The WESP program was launched earlier in the week by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and is described by FECCA as the first program of its kind in Australia.
FECCA said the initiative represents a step towards recognising the skills and qualifications migrant women bring to Australia and supporting them through the skills-recognition system.
The organisation said the program could also contribute to addressing workforce shortages and improving productivity by helping more migrant women use their existing skills and qualifications in the Australian labour market.
FECCA has previously highlighted skills recognition as an important issue for migrant women. Its Activate Her Skills report found that many migrant and refugee women are working below the level of their skills and qualifications, with barriers including the cost, time and complexity of skills recognition.
The report, produced through the Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance (AMWA), identified skills-recognition reform as a key issue affecting migrant women’s workforce participation. FECCA has also called for reforms to make overseas qualification recognition more accessible and efficient.
FECCA congratulated Settlement Services International (SSI) and the Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance (AMWA), along with organisations and individuals involved in the Activate Her Skills campaign advocating for migrant and refugee women.
The organisation said the WESP initiative builds on efforts to ensure migrant women are better able to navigate employment pathways and have their existing skills recognised.
FECCA’s support for the program is consistent with its broader focus on improving economic participation among culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Its recent policy work has identified skills recognition and workforce participation among migrant women as areas requiring continued attention.
The launch comes amid wider policy discussions about better use of migrant skills in Australia. FECCA has argued that improving recognition of overseas qualifications can help address underemployment while strengthening participation in the Australian workforce
