Education & Employment

Where someone goes to school can affect the quality of their education and life opportunities.

A recent study of NAPLAN results shows Melbourne’s disadvantaged suburbs are dominated by schools ranked below average. Disadvantaged schools have larger teaching shortages, fewer educational materials and offer a smaller curriculum.

Additionally, current education and training systems are not delivering the skills and capabilities needed to navigate complex work futures in the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, where the boundaries between physical, digital and biological worlds are blurring.

A place-based, collaborative approach is essential to ensuring younger and older people gain relevant skills, competencies and experience to participate in meaningful and secure work.

The Foundation focuses on the potential for technology and education practice to unlock opportunity and reduce inequality.

The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Projects and initiatives that prioritise 21st-century skills and capabilities.
• Demonstration projects of wrap-around support that creates clear senior secondary school pathways and career exposure, particularly to emerging industries.
• Community collaborations and industry partnerships for better school-work transitions.
• Research to better understand the issues and inform policy advocacy that addresses the root causes and drivers of education inequality.

The Foundation will consider other activities that address this outcome.

The most vulnerable members of our community often face multiple barriers to economic inclusion.

Where someone grows up influences their job and potential income. Lower skill workers tend to live in more disadvantaged suburbs.

Globalisation, technology and climate change are also rapidly changing the nature of work, placing economic security at risk, particularly for lower-skilled workers.

In response, the Foundation focuses on the opportunities presented by emerging transition industries and economic models and systems.

The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Training pathways and job creation, including social enterprises.
• New models and systems that enable greater economic inclusion and resilience.
• Community collaborations focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and emerging industries.
• Research to better understand the issues and inform policy and advocacy that address the root causes and drivers of economic inequality.

The Foundation will consider other activities that address this outcome.