Woolworths keen to explore digital ‘skills passport' to shore up tech pipeline

West Australian

18-07-2025

Woolworths has expressed interest in exploring the Federal Government's concept of a digital 'skills passport' to help the supermarket giant identify and build a pipeline of workers to fill its high-tech warehouses.
The supermarket giant has observed strong customer preference for a quicker, easier and personalised shopping experience, which in turn has resulted in more automation and robotics incorporated into its warehouses.
In its submission to the Productivity Commission's review ahead of Treasurer Jim Chalmers' economic reform roundtable next month, Woolworths said it was interested in exploring the benefits of a skills passport.
Woolworths is Australia's biggest private sector employer, with more than 178,000 staff across its supermarkets and discount department store Big W.
The Albanese Government in 2023 announced it would spend over $9 million to develop a business case for the passport, which would be a digital ID that holds records of a person's qualifications.
This would make it easier for people to demonstrate their history to prospective employers.
The skills passport potentially streamlines Woolworths' process of verifying and assessing people's qualifications.
'(Automation has) improved safety outcomes for our team, with less manual handling involved, whilst also improving productivity,' Woolworths said in its submission.
'These advances also create employment opportunities for a more diverse workforce.
'Critical to realising this ongoing productivity benefit, will be ensuring there is a pipeline of suitably qualified people to work in an increasingly high-tech supply chain.'
The Amanda Bardwell-led company added technology and automation were creating new career opportunities in the broader retail sector.
'Many of the skills sets required for retail are also in demand in other industries, requiring a level of cross-economy coordination on skills policy,' it said.
The Australian Retailers Association and the National Retail Association — hoping to amalgamate into the Australian Retail Council — said workforce policy must become more flexible, responsive and outcomes-driven to support national productivity and individual career success.
In their submissions, they made 10 recommendations in a bid to strengthen education and training outcomes, reduce regulatory barriers to workforce entry and better equip Australia's labour market for future economic challenges.
Among the recommendations, the Federal Government should invest and mandate educators' professional development every six years, eliminate redundant licencing for low-risk occupations, as well as invest in training, skills and development training to create 'job ready' graduates in manufacturing, logistics, sustainability and in digital technologies.