Appendix 6 - APS workforce planning

This appendix captures information on Australian Public Service workforce planning.

Table A6.1 presents the number and proportion of APS agencies that identified critical skills shortages in the 2021 and 2023.

Table A6.1: Number and proportion of agencies that identified critical skills shortages

Has your agency identified any critical skills shortages? 2021 2023
Number of agencies % Number of agencies %
Yes 67 71 87 88
No 28 29 12 12

Source: 2021 and 2023 APS Agency Survey

Table A6.2 presents the number and proportion of agencies that have identified specific critical skills shortages in 2021 and 2023.

Table A6.2: Number and proportion of agencies with specific critical skills shortages

What are the critical skills shortages that have been identified in your agency? 2021 2023
Number of agencies % Number of agencies %
Digital and Information Communications Technology (ICT) 54 81 66 76
Data 47 70 64 74
People management and leadership 23 34 45 52
Portfolio, program or project management 21 31 38 44
Change management 22 33 34 39
Policy or strategic policy 11 16 33 38
Procurement and contracting* - - 32 37
Legal* - - 30 34
Science and/or engineering 3 4 22 25
Collaboration and stakeholder engagement 8 12 21 24
Regulatory 7 10 19 22
Communicating with influence 14 21 18 21
Risk management 12 18 16 18
Understanding the APS environment 5 7 14 16
Information and knowledge management/records management 14 21 13 15
Agile or agile working 10 15 10 11
Delivery and implementation 6 9 9 10
Economics, including behavioural economics 6 9 8 9
Creativity and innovation 3 4 5 6
Learning agility and curiosity 4 6 5 6
Integrity 2 3 4 5
Problem solving 6 9 4 5

Source: 2021 and 2023 APS Agency Survey

Note: Percentages are based on agencies which had identified critical skills shortages. As agencies could select more than one option, total percentages may exceed 100%.
*‘Procurement and contracting’ and ‘Legal’ were asked in 2023, but not 2021.

Table A6.3 presents the proportion of 2023 APS Employee Census respondents performing each type of work who identified data as a skill or capability missing from their immediate workgroup.

Table A6.3: Proportion performing each type of work who identified data as a skill or capability missing from their immediate workgroup

Type of work % who selected data as a skill or capability missing from their immediate workgroup
APS Overall 23
Data and research 50
Intelligence 34
Monitoring and audit 34
Senior executive 32
Policy 31
Portfolio, program and project management 30
Human resources 29
Information and knowledge management 28
Compliance and regulation 23
Accounting and finance 22
Science and health 19
Communications and marketing 18
Administration 15
Engineering and technical 15
Legal and parliamentary 15
ICT and digital solutions 14
Service delivery 14
Trades and labour 11

Source: 2023 APS Employee Census

Note: APS Overall refers to the proportion of all APS employees. Proportions are based on the number of respondents who identified a skill or capability gap within their immediate workgroup.

Table A6.4 presents the proportion of 2023 APS Employee Census respondents performing each type of work who identified ICT or digital as a skill or capability missing from their immediate workgroup.

Table A6.4: Proportion performing each type of work who identified ICT or digital as a skill or capability missing from their immediate workgroup

What skills or capability are missing within your immediate workgroup? % of each job role who selected ICT or digital as a missing skill or capability
APS Overall 30
ICT and digital solutions 58
Information and knowledge management 42
Intelligence 42
Science and health 35
Data and research 34
Engineering and technical 31
Communications and marketing 29
Compliance and regulation 28
Portfolio, program and project management 28
Monitoring and audit 27
Service delivery 27
Accounting and finance 26
Human resources 26
Administration 26
Senior executive 25
Legal and parliamentary 23
Policy 20
Trades and labour 18

Source: 2023 APS Employee Census

Note: APS Overall refers to the proportion of all APS employees. Proportions are based on the number of respondents who identified a skill or capability gap within their immediate workgroup.

Table A6.5 describes the changing core skills required by APS employees, as advised by the APS Centre of Excellence for Workforce Planning.

Table A6.5: Changing core skill needs of APS employees

Green skills Regulating a digital economy Non-technical skills
  • Sustainability and environmental research, planning and project delivery
  • Environmental stewardship and leadership
  • Indigenous cultural land knowledge

Emerging

  • Science and health
  • Data and research
  • Engineering and technical

Enhanced

  • Portfolio, program and project
  • Compliance and regulation
  • Accounting and finance
  • Policy
  • Management
  • Data literacy and digital fluency, software use and development
  • Knowledge and application of AI, data and privacy laws and frameworks
  • Cyber security and awareness

Future and emerging APS job roles

  • Algorithm bias auditor
  • AI researcher
  • Data regulation officer
  • Data business partner
  • Privacy case manager
  • Citizen’s rights advisor

Essential non-technical skills public servants will need to effectively deliver in their roles.

  • Learning agility and critical thinking
  • Creativity, agile thinking and imagination
  • Ability to rapidly translate knowledge and skills to new contexts and problems
  • Collaboration, empowering others and working cross-culturally
  • Self-awareness, resilience, and coping with uncertainty
  • Working transparently and building trust
Observations
  • There continues to be an increase in agencies identifying shortages in critical ‘core APS’ skills including policy, people management and project management.
  • Heightened focus on building a digitally enabled and net zero government to oversee a digital and green economy will also require investment in building up digital, data and green literacy skills, in addition to technical expertise in these areas.
  • Efforts to upskill staff in key emerging capabilities areas may be undermined if staff are unaware of emerging skill needs.

Source: APS Centre of Excellence for Workforce Planning

Table A6.6 presents the number and proportion of agencies that currently have a workforce plan or workforce strategy.

Table A6.6: Number and proportion of agencies that have a current workforce plan or strategy

Does your agency have a current agency-level workforce plan or workforce strategy? 2021 2023
Number of agencies % Number of agencies %
Yes 32 34 33 33
In development 36 38 52 53
No 27 28 14 14

Source: 2021 and 2023 APS Agency Survey

Table A6.7 presents the number and proportion of agencies that, during 2022–23, utilised Australian Public Service Commission workforce data or products to develop and assess workforce policies and practices.

Table A6.7: Number and proportion of agencies that utilised APSC workforce data or products to develop and assess workforce policies and practices

During 2022–23, did your agency utilise the following APSC workforce data or products to develop and assess workforce policies and practices? Number of agencies %
APS Employee Census 96 97
State of the Service Report 89 90
APS Remuneration Report 84 85
APS Workforce Strategy 2025 69 70
APS Workforce Planning Guide 62 63
APS Employment Database internet interface (APSEDii) 59 60
APS Learning and Development Strategy and Action Plan 50 51
APS Data Release 42 42
APS Framework for Optimal Management Structures 34 34
Cohort analysis produced by the APS Workforce Planning Centre of Excellence 30 30
APS Talent Management Guide and Toolkit 30 30
Other 20 20
None of the above 2 2

Source: 2023 APS Agency Survey

Note: As agencies could select more than one option, total percentages may exceed 100%.

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