Launch of Adult Learners Week 2025

Acknowledgements omitted.

Good morning.

I had the pleasure of attending Adult Learners Week in person last year.

Unfortunately, I can’t be there in person today in Devonport.

But I know how beautiful that part of the world is – I’m a visitor to Tasmania’s north coast often, including a visit to Burnie last month.

It’s a great place to celebrate this important anniversary.

Firstly, congratulations for 30 years of Adult Learners Week.

This year’s theme, “Celebrate Learning Together”, highlights what makes adult learning so powerful – the way it brings people together, opens new possibilities, and helps us grow.

On behalf of the Albanese Government – a massive thank you.

Everyone at Adult Learning Australia has put in an incredible amount of effort to ensure every Australian can enjoy the benefits from lifelong learning.

I highlighted lifelong learning as one of my three key priorities last week at the National Press Club – and I know I don’t need to convince anyone in the room of how important it is.

That in today’s world, we cannot only prepare Australians for work or for life through the narrow lens of fulfilling the role of a particular job.

The nature of work is changing at pace. We need to ensure Australians are adaptable to this, no matter their line of work – or the different careers they’ll pursue over their working life.

As we all know, in this space we face big challenges – and some incredible opportunities.

The OECD estimates one in five working-age Australian adults has low literacy or numeracy skills - or both.

That’s around three million adults across Australia.

They will often face difficulties in participating in social and community life, employment and education and training.

We know that having low foundation skills increases a person’s vulnerability in many areas. And it flows on to businesses and the broader economy as well.

But this can be turned around.

Improving literacy and numeracy can increase a person’s likelihood of earning more and also increases our gross domestic product in the long run.

So, it significantly supports our economy, and helps galvanise communities.

And it can mean so much to workers and their families – boosting confidence, and one’s belief in their abilities.

This is why the Albanese Government is proudly supporting programs that are helping adults across Australia to improve their language and literacy skills.

We are about halfway through the National Skills Agreement – a thirty billion dollar joint agreement between the Albanese Government and state and territory governments.

The NSA is supporting Australians who are facing foundation skills challenges to access the quality training they need.

At the core of this is the expanded Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program.

SEE offers foundation skills training for Australians aged 15 years and over, and those who have left school but are seeking to improve their reading, writing, maths, English language, and digital skills.

This includes a dedicated stream for whole-of-community training delivery for First Nations people.

As I travel the country I’m incredibly fortunate to have so many Australians share their stories with me. Today I want to share one of these with you all.

I met Kalamkas in Adelaide. She comes from Kazakhstan, and has been in Australia for almost two years.

As she says in her own words:

“After I moved here, I started looking for English courses to improve my language skills. That’s how I found the ACE program.

“The course gave me not only useful knowledge, but also confidence.

“I can now write letters to government departments by myself, to Immigration, Centrelink, Medicare and others. It was a big step forward for me.”

This is just one of thousands of stories, and it illustrates how transformative adult learning is – building skills, boosting confidence, and strengthening connections to community.

The Albanese Government will continue working with our state and territory counterparts to make in-roads in adult learning.

I know you’re eagerly awaiting the announcement of this year’s scholarship winners.

Congratulations to everyone in advance who were nominated.

Thank you.

ENDS