Illawarra Shoalhaven businesses are among the beneficiaries of a new dashboard that turns the region’s complex regional employment data into clear, interactive insights. Photo: Thirroul Village.
An Illawarra Shoalhaven regional development body has taken a significant step in making labour market data more usable with the launch of an interactive tool designed to bring clarity to one of the region’s most persistent challenges.
Regional Development Australia Illawarra Shoalhaven (RDAIS) has launched its inaugural State of the Workforce digital dashboard, which builds on the organisation’s earlier State of the Workforce report to translate complex datasets into a real-time, visual snapshot of employment trends across the Illawarra Shoalhaven.
Drawing on Jobs and Skills Australia and Australian Bureau of Statistics data, the platform offers insights into workforce participation, employment shortages, current vacancy numbers and priority industry sectors, all at a local government area level, to support decision-making and coordination for employers, jobseekers, policymakers, training providers and education institutions at a regional level.
Rather than static reporting, the dashboard, which is embedded directly into the RDAIS website, has been designed to update automatically, ensuring users are always working with the most current information available.
RDAIS Chair Adam Zarth said the launch responded directly to the pressures being felt across the regional economy.
“Labour shortages continue to be a significant challenge for businesses and communities across the Illawarra Shoalhaven,” he said. “This dashboard gives our region access to timely, reliable data, supporting more informed planning, targeted investment and collaborative action to strengthen our workforce.”
For RDAIS, the dashboard represents more than a data visualisation exercise: it is a practical decision-making tool, particularly as industries compete for skilled workers and governments seek better alignment between policy, training and economic development.
The dashboard also reflects growing demand from stakeholders for more granular, localised data. While national and state labour market statistics are widely available, RDAIS has long argued that LGA-level insights are essential for understanding the nuances of regional workforce dynamics.
RDAIS CEO Selena Stevens said the dashboard helped to bridge the gap between data and action.
“By presenting essential workforce data in a user-friendly, interactive format, we are empowering organisations and individuals to make evidence-based decisions,” Ms Stevens said.
She said the platform was designed to support collaboration across sectors, rather than operate as a standalone resource.
“We see this tool not only as a resource but as an enabler of collaboration, strengthening how government, business, education and community partners work together to address our region’s workforce challenges.”
The launch follows the release of the State of the Workforce report which highlighted both opportunities and constraints facing the Illawarra Shoalhaven labour market. Since then, RDAIS has continued to advocate for improved access to detailed workforce data within government systems.
“Since the launch of our report in May 2025, RDAIS has been consistently advocating for stakeholder access to LGA-level data in government sources and we believe this dashboard is a step in the right direction,” Ms Stevens said.
With its combination of real-time updates, localised data and accessible design, the dashboard aims to support everything from business investment decisions to training program planning and regional policy development. RDAIS hopes it will become a shared reference point for discussions about workforce supply, skills development and economic resilience across the region.
The State of the Workforce dashboard is now live on the RDAIS website.
