The list of jobs where skills shortages are rife has almost doubled during the past year.

Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor says the skills priority list growing from 153 to 286 occupations in 12 months speaks to “a really difficult challenge for this country”.

Mr O’Connor said skills shortages would also continue to grow within investment in training and sectors facing shortages.

He said the government has prioritised the area by already convening a jobs and skills summit and will continue to work with industry and state governments to address the shortages.

Action also includes supporting a pay rise for aged care workers to attract further workers into the critically understaffed sector.

“They should be treated and valued properly. We need to attain and attract aged care workers,” he said.

The government has also increased the skilled migration cap to help address shortages in the shorter term, he told reporters in Melbourne.

“We have to work closely with industry, so that we supply the skills that we need, so we can actually deliver the services and goods that people require,” Mr O’Connor said.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says targeted funding is needed to boost traineeships and apprenticeships.

Chief executive Andrew McKellar said any drop in take-ups would have a devastating effect on businesses.

“Funding also needs to be devoted to improving completion rates,” he said.

“Our businesses are in desperate need for more staff. It will only be through improved investment.”

Australia’s peak union body blamed the previous coalition government for cutting funding to TAFE and tertiary education.

Australian Council of Trade Unions assistant secretary Scott Connolly said the federal government’s signature jobs and skills summit showed investment was desperately needed.

He also called of the government to shut down the exploitation of migrants.

“Businesses must not be allowed to go back to using migration as an alternative for improving pay and conditions,” he said.

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley says the government’s jobs and skills summit had failed to make any progress more than a month after it was held.

She also attacked the government for failing to pick up the opposition’s proposed pension reform, allowing them to work more without having their benefits cut.

“If they had done that, we could have started to see older Australians take up positions in businesses that are crying out for labour,” she said.

– AAP