Executive summary Darwin Major Business Group (DMBG) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the NT Government workforce consultation. Workforce availability, skills capability and population attraction are now structural determinants of the Northern Territory’s economic performance. Across multiple industries, employers are willing to invest, expand and employ, but are constrained by persistent labour shortages, skills gaps and barriers to participation. This submission highlights four priorities: The scale and breadth of workforce challenges facing Territory industries The barriers limiting workforce participation and training effectiveness The need for a trusted, industry-aligned education and training system, including strong quality assurance and certification integrity A coordinated strategy to attract and retain people in Darwin as a place to build a career and a life DMBG’s perspective is grounded in the experience of major employers responsible for delivering jobs, infrastructure and economic activity across the Territory. About Darwin Major Business Group Darwin Major Business Group represents a cross-section of major employers operating across the Northern Territory economy, including construction, resources, tourism and hospitality, transport and logistics, defence support industries, property, professional services and critical infrastructure. Our members are large employers, investors and operators with direct experience of workforce shortages, skills constraints and training system challenges. This submission reflects practical, employer-led insights into what is required to build a sustainable and competitive Territory workforce. 1. Workforce needs and challenges across industries Workforce availability remains the single most significant constraint on business growth across the Northern Territory. Key challenges identified by DMBG members include: Persistent skills shortages across construction trades, engineering, health, hospitality, aviation, logistics, defence support services and professional roles A limited local labour pool, particularly for skilled and mid-career positions High workforce churn linked to housing availability, cost-of-living pressures and family support considerations Seasonal employment patterns that complicate workforce retention and long-term skills development Project timing and delivery risk, where workforce uncertainty delays or constrains public and private investment These challenges are no longer cyclical. They represent a structural risk to the Territory’s capacity to deliver infrastructure, attract investment and grow private-sector employment. 2. Barriers to workforce participation and training Barriers to workforce participation and training are interconnected and require coordinated responses. DMBG members identify the following as key constraints: Housing availability and affordability, limiting the ability to attract and retain workers, particularly families and mid-career professionals The cost and accessibility of training, including travel, accommodation and time away from work, especially for regional and remote participants Fragmented training pathways, with inconsistent alignment between employer needs, training delivery and qualifications Insufficient wrap-around supports for some cohorts, including childcare, transport and mentoring, to translate training into sustained employment Skilled migration and labour mobility processes that are often complex and misaligned with business project timeframes Addressing participation barriers requires alignment across workforce, housing, education, migration and infrastructure policy settings. 3. Skills and training systems that support local jobs DMBG supports a workforce system that prioritises local employment outcomes while recognising the ongoing role of migration and labour mobility in supporting the Territory economy. An effective skills and training system should include: Employer-led training design aligned to real job requirements Strong partnerships between industry, government and training providers Flexible delivery models that allow people to upskill while remaining in work Clear pathways from education and training into employment Long-term workforce planning aligned to infrastructure pipelines and economic priorities The role of CDU and VET / TAFE Training Organisations A capable and trusted education and training system is foundational to workforce development in the Northern Territory. DMBG believes a strong, stable and industry-aligned Charles Darwin University (CDU), as a dual-sector university, is critical to delivering higher education, vocational education and training, applied research and professional skills that support the Territory’s economic priorities. Employers rely on CDU to produce job-ready graduates across both tertiary and vocational pathways and to partner with industry in addressing emerging workforce needs. DMBG also recognises that employer confidence depends on the integrity of training delivery and certification processes across all providers. Recent reporting regarding certification issues affecting a cohort of apprentices has reinforced the importance of robust quality assurance, clear communication, and efficient remediation pathways to minimise disruption for students and employers. Similarly, high-quality VET and TAFE training organisations play a vital role in meeting demand for trades, technicians and operational roles across the Territory economy. Consistency of delivery, instructional capability and alignment with employer demand are central to ensuring training translates into employment outcomes. DMBG supports training providers that are: Well-governed, adequately resourced and industry-connected Equipped with current, capable trainers and assessors Focused on employment outcomes, not just enrolments Committed to strong certification and records assurance, including prompt rectification when issues arise Willing to collaborate across the tertiary and vocational system to address gaps and avoid duplication DMBG encourages continued strengthening of system assurance settings that protect students, employers and the standing of Territory qualifications, including clear certification processes and timely issuance requirements. 4. Workforce attraction and retention - positioning Darwin and the Territory Addressing workforce shortages also requires a compelling proposition that attracts people to Darwin and supports long-term retention. Darwin offers a unique combination of economic opportunity, lifestyle and career acceleration that aligns strongly with the NT Government’s population growth and economic development objectives. DMBG believes workforce attraction strategies should emphasise: A clear “land of opportunity” narrative, where ambition and capability translate into responsibility and advancement more quickly than in larger cities Career visibility and leadership opportunity, allowing individuals to make an impact and grow into influential roles Lifestyle advantages, including reduced commuting, access to the outdoors and strong community connection Housing and relocation incentives, including grants, build incentives and targeted assistance that support relocation and settlement Whole-of-family attraction, recognising the importance of schools, health services, childcare and employment opportunities for partners Darwin cannot compete with larger cities on scale, but it can compete on opportunity, lifestyle and the chance to succeed. A coordinated, whole-of-government and industry approach to attraction and retention will strengthen workforce supply, support population growth and reinforce confidence in the Territory’s long-term economic future. Closing comments The Northern Territory’s economic potential is widely recognised, but realising that potential depends on having the right people, with the right skills, in the right place. DMBG encourages continued engagement with employers and industry groups to ensure workforce policies are practical, responsive and aligned with the realities of doing business in the Territory. We welcome the opportunity to contribute further as workforce reforms progress.

Across the Northern Territory, skills shortages are no longer an occasional inconvenience for employers. They are now a structural economic problem – and one that is quietly holding the Territory back. Latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows more than 5,000 unfilled positions in the NT , with approximately 85 per cent of those vacancies in the private sector. This represents lost output, delayed projects and unrealised economic potential. At the same time, the Federal Government, through Jobs and Skills Australia , is examining how Australia’s skills system should evolve, including how skills are developed, recognised and matched to the needs of the economy. For the Northern Territory, this discussion is critical. Regions ultimately succeed or struggle based on whether they have enough people to do the work and the right skills to remain competitive. When workforce settings are aligned with economic needs, productivity improves, investment follows and living standards rise. When they are not, growth stalls. Across construction, health, education, hospitality, professional services and the trades, NT businesses report the same challenges. Projects are delayed. Growth plans are postponed. Costs increase as employers compete for scarce skills or rely on overtime, contractors and short-term fixes simply to stay operational. In a small economy, these effects compound quickly. Skills shortages also have broader consequences. They place sustained pressure on existing workers, driving burnout and higher turnover. Wage growth can outpace productivity, contributing to inflation and higher prices. Service quality declines, and communities feel the impact. This challenge is intensifying nationally. As baby boomers retire in large numbers, all regions of Australia are adjusting to major labour market change. For the NT, with its smaller and more mobile workforce, the effects are more immediate and more pronounced. Migration has always been central to the Territory’s workforce and economic development. The NT’s vibrant multicultural community is not just a social strength, it is an economic one. Skilled migrants support essential services, enable businesses to operate and contribute directly to productivity and population stability. However, migration settings must work for regional economies. Pathways that are slow, uncertain or overly complex undermine the very benefits migration is intended to deliver, particularly for small and medium-sized employers. Importantly, this is no longer simply a matter of filling vacancies. Whole economies are now competing for labour. When regions get their settings right, the benefits extend well beyond business. Stronger economies deliver higher living standards, and the taxes raised help fund health, education and other community services. Get the settings wrong, and it becomes an exercise in frustration, plenty of effort, but little progress. Business owners and managers must play an active role in shaping future workforce policy. Those at the coalface understand what skills are needed, where systems fail and what incentives actually work. Policymakers need that input if reforms are to succeed. DMBG believes the Northern Territory offers Australians career opportunities and lifestyle benefits that few regions can match. But belief alone is not enough. We must tell that story clearly, reduce barriers and be prepared to compete hard for talent. The future prosperity of the Territory – and the wellbeing of its communities – depends on getting this right.