Welcome to the first edition of 'Skills & Stronger Communities'. At VERTO, everything we do comes back to one simple belief: when people have access to the right support, skills and opportunities, communities become stronger and more resilient.
I grew up in regional Australia, and I’ve seen firsthand what resilience really looks like. My dad was a mechanic, and my mum was a manager at Target Country. And in many regional towns, when something goes wrong, you don’t always have a long list of services to fall back on. You work it out. You find a way forward.
Through this newsletter, I want to share reflections from our work across regional Australia. That includes what we are seeing on the ground, what is changing in employment and training, and how community-led solutions continue to make a real difference.
This is not about headlines or trends for the sake of it. It is about people, places and practical outcomes.
Regional Australia has always been resilient. That resilience comes from local people stepping up, adapting and supporting one another through change. It’s practical resilience - you work with what you’ve got, look out for your neighbours, solve problems together, and find a way forward.
As we settle into 2026, many communities are carrying the pressures we know too well, while new challenges emerge. Across our regions, my team and I are consistently seeing:
- Workforce shortages are real, employers want to hire, but finding the right people (and the right skills) is getting harder
- Cost of living pressures are tightening choices for families, while distance and access still make training and work harder to reach
- Rapid digital change and climate disruption are reshaping how people live and work, and who can keep up without support
Education and employment remain two of the most reliable ways to respond.
When people can access training that leads to real jobs, confidence grows. Local economies strengthen and communities are better placed to weather uncertainty and seize new opportunities.
Across VERTO, we see this every day. From young people entering the workforce, to mature workers reskilling, to employers struggling to find the talent they need. The connection between skills and opportunity has never been clearer.
Some consistent themes are emerging across our regions:
- Industries are changing, not disappearing - skills needs are shifting across agriculture, healthcare, renewables and community services.
- Access still matters - distance, affordability and digital exclusion can block training and employment pathways.
- Local solutions work best - programs designed with communities, employers and learners deliver stronger outcomes.
These insights continue to shape how VERTO designs and delivers services. Our focus is on practical pathways, not one-size-fits-all approaches.
The future of regional Australia will be built locally.
It will depend on collaboration between education providers, employers, community organisations and government.
At VERTO, we will continue to invest in programs that build skills, open doors to employment and support people through change.
Through this newsletter, I look forward to sharing more stories, insights and reflections from across our organisation and the communities we serve.
Thank you for being part of the conversation.
Ron CEO, VERTO
