MEET THE TEAM

 

Caroline Smith

Executive Director, Centre for Education and Training

As a senior leader specialising in future skills, employment and economic policy, Caroline has had a distinguished career dedicated to empowering individuals and businesses. Her focus includes economic and skills development, labour markets, workforce planning and the future of work.

With extensive expertise in federal and state government and peak bodies, Caroline brings strategic insights on workforce development policy and innovation. Caroline’s experience includes being the inaugural Executive Director of Jobs Queensland, Deputy Chief Executive of the National Employment Services Association and Executive Director, Economic and Policy Futures in Queensland government.  

Brett Hall

General Manager - Policy, Research & Projects

Brett leads the Centre’s policy, research and project delivery functions. He is based in Brisbane and works across the Centre’s national network of partners and supporters.

Brett has spent over fifteen years working on workforce, skills and labour market policy, programs and research. Prior to joining the Centre, Brett worked in a range of public sector leadership roles across both state and federal governments. This includes leading the development and implementation of whole-of-government workforce strategy, leading Jobs Queensland’s research and policy functions focussed on future skills needs and managing the delivery of industry-facing skills development programs.

Peter Canavan

Senior Policy Officer, Education and Training

Peter contributes to education and training policy and manages Centre projects including state industry skills advisory projects and apprenticeship and traineeship projects that often explore new models. Peter has many years' experience in the vocational training sector, and has managed projects for the Victorian Government relating to education and training.

Paolo Damante

Senior Policy Officer, Education and Training

Paolo contributes to the Centre’s policies and is a member on a number of national and state secondary and tertiary education industry advisory bodies. Paolo project manages state government-funded projects centred on education-industry partnerships in the defence industry. He also administers the CET’s Member Network.

Andrew Elsbury

Project Officer

Andrew coordinates the Defence Science Institute’s Defence Industry Scholarships Program for the Centre which involves supporting SMEs in Victoria’s defence industry with hosting final-year higher education students in industry placements and bolstering their higher skills workforce needs. Andrew has two decades of experience in communications roles in State and Federal Government, most recently as a Government Relations Consultant in the private sector.