Workforce and education trends in Australia for 2026 are already reshaping productivity, skills supply, and regional opportunity. Drawing on five years of evaluation and national research, the Sparrowly Group team examines critical shifts - from AI-disrupted entry roles to trades shortages and transport barriers - and outlines practical strategies to strengthen workforce systems and economic resilience.

Career pathways and vocational education are vital to Australia’s future workforce, yet social bias still favours university routes. Drawing on Sparrowly Group’s Giovanna Lever and the teams evaluation work across Australia, this piece highlights the need to value every pathway, from trades to technology, and close the gap between workforce policy and how we guide young people.

Artificial intelligence and the future of work are reshaping industries and challenging traditional roles. Sparrowly Group’s Federico Moreno examines how AI is transforming the knowledge economy, exploring three key hypotheses on whether it will create, displace or redefine jobs - and what these shifts mean for Australia’s workforce and productivity.

Australia’s productivity and workforce growth rely as much on skilled trades as on technology. Sparrowly Group’s Federico Moreno unpacks why boosting apprenticeships in construction and vocational pathways is essential for a balanced, future-ready economy - and why parents, educators and policymakers all have a role to play in supporting this shift.

Workforce planning and culture development are at the core of building high-performing, connected teams. Sparrowly Group’s Giovanna Lever reveals her approach to creating the 'workforce holy trinity' - balancing performance, cultural connection and happiness to strengthen organisations, boost retention and drive long-term business and community success.

Workforce development and skills growth are vital to thriving communities and resilient economies. Drawing on Sparrowly Group’s national experience in place-based strategies, program design and evaluation, Giovanna Lever explains why workforce development goes beyond training, it’s a shared responsibility that strengthens businesses, supports people and drives sustainable economic success.

Tourism, workforce and community development are deeply connected drivers of regional economic growth. Sparrowly Group’s Giovanna Lever shares key takeaways from recent collaborations across the visitor economy, workforce and industry sectors - highlighting how sharing knowledge, strengthening partnerships and learning from peers can help regions and people thrive together.

Workforce, visitor, economic and community development are deeply interconnected pillars of thriving regions, yet often operate in silos. Sparrowly Group's Giovanna Lever explores why greater collaboration across these sectors is vital for Australia’s future prosperity and how aligning strategies can unlock stronger communities, more resilient economies and lasting regional growth.

Career exploration and workforce development are vital to helping young people make confident, informed choices about their futures. Sparrowly Group’s Federico Moreno shares personal and professional insights on empowering the next generation to pursue pathways that align with their passions, creating a more resilient, skilled and future-ready Australian workforce.

Vocational education and training (VET) is central to shaping Australia’s future workforce and economy. In reflection of National Skills Week, Sparrowly Group’s Federico Moreno explores how the VET sector drives skills development, industry collaboration and long-term prosperity, and why strengthening this system is key to ensuring Australia’s continued economic resilience and growth.

Program evaluation is a crucial component of many government interventions, initially designed as pilot programs. Evaluating the successes and failures of a pilot enables highly informed decisions to be made about the program, whether it continues and scales up or not. What do you need to consider to ensure program evaluation is truly objective? Sparrowly Group’s Federico Moreno explains.

Our future workforce is staring at an uncertain future in the face of global crises. To adequately prepare young people, it requires new levels of collaboration between students, parents, schools and industry. We need to work together to advocate for new ways of supporting the education-to-workforce transition.

Sparrowly Group’s Federico Moreno writes about navigating the university to work transition and joining the workforce in a lockdown. He shares advice for people who are starting a new job or getting their first job.

This white paper on career pathways for the workforce for the future starts a meaningful and constructive discussion that is pegged to grow. It considers some of the current challenges alongside the growing opportunity to rebuild meaningful and impactful systems whereby we, as a society, can more effectively support young people and create a better workforce for the future.

Innovation...one of the key buzzwords in the business industry, but how many businesses actually know what it means and how to apply it? Hear what our intern Aidan Lam has to say about it.

Giovanna Lever shares why is it so important to create a culture of trust?

It is so important for people to take breaks in their daily life to remain productive. Hear how this has had an incredible impact on Giovanna Lever with her business, Sparrowly Group.

What does it take to be a successful leader in your workplace? Take the points discussed here by Giovanna Lever assist you in your career and life progression.

It is often that big companies forget to nurture their team resulting in staff resigning. What does it take to have good leadership in a workplace? Giovanna Lever explains.

Tax planning is sometimes seen as the less important part of our professional development. Learn more about why Giovanna Lever believes in the importance of implementing tax planning.