ISACNT provides advice and gathers intelligence on workforce development, training package development, skill shortages, and workforce solutions in the Northern Territory.
Supporting Workforce Development and Industry Capability
Identifying jobs in demand
Finding the right skills in the right place at the right time is a challenge.
Each year, Industry Skills Advisory Council NT (ISACNT) consult with NT businesses and peak industry associations to better understand their challenges in attracting, retaining, and upskilling workers.
The intelligence gathered from industry, provides ISACNT with the recommendations for the Northern Territory Government to help inform the annual NT Skilled Occupation Priority List (NT SOPL), and influence government policy and funding decisions that best supports industry.
You can contribute to the development of the 2026 NTSOPL by completing our online survey.
NT Industry Sectors
Click on your industry to learn more about workforce trends or connect to your relevant industry association.
ASQA is developing a series of Practice Guides to assist providers in understanding our regulatory expectations under the revised Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), which will come into full effect on 1 July 2025. These Practice Guides are non-prescriptive and are designed to support providers by offering: Examples of potential actions and other relevant considerations to help demonstrate compliance with each Standard Illustrations of known risks that may impact quality outcomes Self-assurance questions to guide providers in evaluating their performance against the revised Standards The Practice Guides should be read in conjunction with the relevant legislation to ensure all regulatory requirements are met. Providers are also encouraged to consider the underlying policy intent of the revised Standards when applying them in practice. Further details on the revised Standards, including legislative requirements and policy intent, are available on DEWR website The draft Practice Guides below have been released to give the sector an opportunity to provide feedback ahead of the final versions, which are scheduled for release in April 2025. You can share your feedback on the draft Practice Guides through Submit your feedback on our draft Practice Guides Please note that these drafts have been updated to reflect the recently released legislative instruments and to incorporate early feedback received from stakeholders. Practice Guides – Outcome Standards for RTOs Quality Area 1 – Training and Assessment Training Assessment Facilities, resources and equipment Quality Area 2 – VET Student Support Feedback, complaints and appeals Information Training support Diversity and inclusion Wellbeing Quality Area 3 – VET Workforce VET Workforce Management Trainer and Assessor Competencies Quality Area 4 – Governance: Leadership and Accountability Risk Management Continuous Improvement
Understanding job trends and business capabilities is crucial for workforce planning and economic development, especially in remote regions. This resource provides comprehensive employment data and business insights across 28 remote towns in the Northern Territory (NT). What’s Included? ✔ Employment profiles and business capabilities in NT’s remote towns ✔ Data from the NT Remote Towns Jobs Survey (2011, 2014, 2017, 2023) ✔ Statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Who Can Benefit? ✔ Government agencies – for workforce planning and service delivery ✔ Industry leaders & businesses – to assess regional capabilities and opportunities ✔ Contractors & investors – to identify growth and employment trends This information is a valuable tool for supporting economic development, strategic planning, and decision-making across NT’s remote communities. How Was the Data Collected? The job profiles are based on face-to-face surveys with business representatives in each town. The survey methodology was developed with the support of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to ensure accuracy and reliability . Businesses were identified through: ✔ Previous NT Remote Towns Jobs Surveys ✔ Department of Trade, Business and Innovation (DTBI) business directories ✔ Local input from remote town field officers Additional Data Sources To enhance the depth of insights, survey data is supplemented by: ✔ Community Development Programme data from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet ✔ ABS population and labour force statistics ✔ Vocational Education and Training (VET) data from Department of Trade, Business and Innovation (DTBI’s) training reporting database Survey Coverage & Accuracy ✔ 2011 & 2014: 21 remote towns surveyed ✔ 2017: Expanded to 28 remote towns ✔ 95%+ average response rate across surveys All participating businesses are listed in their respective town profiles. Electronically completed surveys were uploaded into a central database , with data extracts programmed to create individual town profiles . 2023 Remote Towns Workforce Snapshot The research gathered key insights about jobs, workforce trends, and employment challenges across 21 remote towns in the NT . Workforce Overview Total Population (2021 Census): 19,966 Working Age Population (15+): 14,923 Total Jobs Filled (2023): 3,534 Job Vacancies (2023): 815 (a steady increase from 370 in 2011) Who’s Working? 42.5% of workers are male – 29.8% Aboriginal vs. 12.7% Non-Aboriginal 55.7% of workers are female – 38.1% Aboriginal vs. 17.5% Non-Aboriginal Top 5 Jobs 1️ Professionals – 899 jobs 2️ Community & Personal Service Workers – 818 jobs 3️ Clerical & Admin Workers – 588 jobs 4️ Sales Workers – 370 jobs 5️ Labourers – 313 jobs Jobs by Age Group (2017 vs. 2023) Aboriginal Workers 15-24 years: 360 → 284 25-44 years: 1,810 → 1,190 45+ years: 916 → 726 Non-Aboriginal Workers 15-24 years: 76 → 51 25-44 years: 891 → 530 45+ years: 760 → 477 Private vs. Public Sector (2023) Total Businesses: 226 operating businesses Public Sector: 104 businesses → 1,475 jobs filled Private Sector: 122 businesses → 2,059 jobs filled Top 5 Industries by job filled 1. Public Administration & Safety – 996 jobs 2. Education & Training – 937 jobs 3. Retail Trade – 504 jobs 4. Health Care & Social Assistance – 458 jobs 5. Arts & Recreation – 154 jobs Job Status (2023) Permanent Jobs Filled: 2,088 (1,411 Aboriginal vs. 677 Non-Aboriginal) Temporary Jobs Filled: 1,446 (1,042 Aboriginal vs. 404 Non-Aboriginal) Key Takeaways · Job vacancies have more than doubled since 2011, showing a growing demand for skilled workers. · Fewer young people (15-24 years) are in the workforce compared to 2017. · The public sector remains a key employer in remote towns. Understanding these trends can help businesses, training providers, and policymakers support workforce development and employment opportunities in remote NT towns. Job profiles are now available for 28 towns , providing valuable data on workforce trends, job vacancies, and industry growth. Towns Covered are: Ali Curung | Alyangula | Angurugu | Borroloola | Daguragu/Kalkarindji | Docker River | Elliott | Galiwin'ku Gapuwiyak | Gunbalanya | Imanpa | Lajamanu | Maningrida | Milikapiti | Milingimbi | Mutitjulu | Ngukurr | Ntaria (Hermannsburg) | Numbulwar | Papunya | Pirlangimpi | Ramingining | Umbakumba | Utopia | Wadeye | Wurrumiyanga (Nguiu) | Yirrkala | Yuendumu These profiles help businesses, job seekers, and policymakers understand employment trends and workforce needs in remote NT. Whether you’re planning, recruiting talent, or looking for opportunities, this data is a must-have resource ! For more details please visit: Remote town job profiles | NT.GOV.AU
