The Australian workforce must have adequate language, literacy and numeracy skills if it is to meet the needs of competitive industry and sustainable communities in the 21st century. In recognition of this requirement, Shaping our Future, the national strategy for VET 2004–2010, incorporates language, literacy and numeracy into its key objectives so that all Australians will have the opportunity to:
- participate fully in the labour force
- use literacy skills at work
- participate in adult education and training, and
- use literacy at home and in the community.
An international survey in 1996 found that around 38 per cent of the Australian workforce and 47 per cent of the population in general have language, literacy and numeracy skills at level 1 and level 2 on a five-point scale.
This means that many Australians have difficulty with the literacy demands of work and everyday life and need assistance to develop their skills. A total picture of Australia’s skill levels can be found at the Australian Bureau of Statistics 
website.
Australia uses an equivalent five-point scale for reporting reading, writing, numeracy, and speaking and listening competencies. It’s known as the National Reporting System (NRS).
The NRS and case studies about how it can be used in education and training are available at http://www.nrs.dest.gov.au/ . This website also features useful workplace examples 
.
The Adult Literacy National Project is designed to assist adult Australians in improving their literacy skills for work, education and training, at home and in the community. It provides:
Find out more about the Adult Literacy National Project on the LiteracyNet website. This site also includes useful resources for trainers and assessors, adult literacy teachers, adult literacy providers and support agencies.