Professor Barney Glover, the current vice-chancellor of Western Sydney University, has been appointed by the federal government as the new commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia.

Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor announced over the weekend that Glover will start a five-year term starting in April leading the body tasked with providing independent evidence and advice on workforce training and the skills shortage.

O’Connor said Glover will be a “trusted, independent source of expert advice on Australia’s current and future skills need”.

“I congratulate Professor Glover on his appointment and look forward to his leadership in this critical time,” O’Connor said in a statement.

“His distinguished academic leadership and extensive experience make Professor Glover eminently qualified for the role.”

Glover has significant dual-sector expertise and experience at senior levels in universities and businesses.

He is also the chair of the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching Working Group, the Australian government representative on the University of the South Pacific Grants Committee, and the Australian-based patron of the Association for Tertiary Education Management.

Glover was the chair of Universities Australia from 2015 to 2017 and has served on the board of a number of corporate organisations and state and national centres.

He was also previously the vice-chancellor of Charles Darwin University and deputy vice-chancellor of research at the University of Newcastle.

He was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia in January 2019 for distinguished service to tertiary education, professional associations and cultural organisations.

Glover will replace David Turvey, who has been serving as commissioner in an interim capacity since October 2023.

Professor Peter Dawkins led Jobs and Skills Australia through its interim phase until late last year.

Welcome appointment

In a statement, Jobs and Skills Australia welcomed the appointment of Glover and said the organisation would “continue to build its credibility and deliver independent, expert advice on Australia’s current, emerging and future workforce and skills”.

Jobs and Skills Australia is a secondary statutory authority attached to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, and Glover will report directly to the Minister in his new role.

Jobs and Skills Australia was established by the Albanese government in mid-2022 following its election victory to provide research and conduct research into Australia’s jobs and skills gaps.

“It plays a critical role in informing decisions to address Australia’s current and emerging workforce skills and training needs, such as the challenges in transformation to net zero, the rapidly growing care and support sector, digitisation and the growing need for digital skills,” O’Connor said.

It was handed a broader remit than the National Skills Commission that it replaced, and was tasked with collaborating with state and territory governments, unions, and training providers.

The independent body was made permanent by the federal government last year, with a Ministerial Advisory Board established and new functions including to provide advice on the demand and availability of workers in specific industries and occupations, studies focused on opportunities to improve employment, and more strategic planning and investment in education and training.

The body’s key functions include providing advice to the government about the labour market, skills, and the quality of vocational education and training programs; preparing studies about jobs in current and emerging industries, and assessing and forecasting the existing and future workforce.