FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Skills Match: SkillsOne Launches Innovative Program to Connect NSW Schools with Industry Partners
Launching 2026 | New South Wales
SkillsOne has today launched Skills Match, an innovative new program designed to connect NSW secondary schools with industry partners, creating meaningful work-based learning experiences for students exploring vocational education and training (VET) pathways.
Skills Match addresses one of the most persistent challenges in the VET sector: the disconnect between schools offering VET subjects and the industry partners needed to make those subjects come alive. Through a structured matching system, Skills Match pairs schools with employers, GTOs, and training providers based on curriculum alignment, geographic proximity, industry sector, and student interest.
How Skills Match Works
The program operates through a simple, three-step process. Schools register their VET programs, student cohort details, and preferred industry sectors. Industry partners, including employers, GTOs, and training providers, register their capacity to offer work experience placements, guest speakers, site visits, mentoring, and other engagement activities. The Skills Match algorithm then generates compatibility scores and facilitates introductions between matched partners, with ongoing support from the SkillsOne team.
Subscription Tiers for Industry Partners
Skills Match offers three tiers of industry participation. The Listing tier provides a basic profile and school matching at no cost. The Insights tier includes enhanced analytics, priority matching, and access to the subscriber dashboard with detailed school engagement data. The Premium tier provides full-service account management, featured placement, and direct access to the SkillsOne content and media network.
The Opportunity
With over 900 secondary schools in NSW offering VET subjects, and thousands of employers seeking to build their future workforce pipeline, Skills Match creates a scalable infrastructure for industry-school engagement that benefits students, schools, and employers alike.
"Skills Match is about making the connection that changes a young person's trajectory," said Brian Wexham, Executive Chairman of SkillsOne. "When a student meets a real employer in their field of interest, it transforms VET from a subject on a timetable into a genuine career pathway. That's what we're building."
Registrations Now Open
Schools and industry partners across NSW can register their interest at skillsone.com.au/skills-match. Early registrants will receive priority matching and direct support from the SkillsOne team during the program's inaugural year.
About SkillsOne
SkillsOne is Australia's leading communications platform dedicated to championing skills-based careers — shining a light on apprenticeships, traineeships and the broader vocational education and training (VET) system. Founded in 2007, we sit at the centre of Australia's skills ecosystem — connecting students, parents, educators, employers and career changers with the stories, resources and opportunities that matter.
Media Enquiries SkillsOne Communications Email: [email protected] Website: www.skillsone.com.au