The Hon. Brendan O’Connor joins RMIT as Professor of Practice

The Hon. Brendan O’Connor joins RMIT as Professor of Practice

Former federal Minister The Hon. Brendan O’Connor has joined RMIT as Professor of Practice, Workforce Skills & Innovation.

With extensive experience in policy advocacy, particularly in reforming the vocational education and training system and addressing skills shortages, O’Connor will play a key role in strengthening RMIT's position as a leader in a joined up tertiary system both in Australia and across the Asia Pacific region.   

“Brendan’s deep expertise and insights will be invaluable in supporting RMIT’s ambition to deliver workforce skills and industry innovation, focused on critical priorities for the Victorian and Australian economies, and more broadly across Southeast Asia,” said Mish Eastman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Vocational Education.  

As the largest dual sector university in Australia, RMIT is dedicated to reshaping tertiary education to enable greater participation through innovative learning approaches, like Earn and Learn and dual-qualification pathways, with a particular focus on delivering key skills needed by industry and growing opportunities for equitable participation.  

O’Connor will contribute to the development of RMIT’s precincts, including the City North Social Innovation Precinct. City North is dedicated to growing workforce skills and industry innovation with a focus on critical priorities including clean economy, social care and wellbeing and future engineering and technology. 

He will also play a key role in advancing RMIT’s international agenda across the Asia Pacific, particularly in strategic locations including India and Indonesia. 

Former federal Minister The Hon. Brendan O’Connor has joined RMIT as Professor of Practice, Workforce Skills & Innovation. Former federal Minister The Hon. Brendan O’Connor has joined RMIT as Professor of Practice, Workforce Skills & Innovation.

Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor International & Engagement, Layton Pike, says RMIT already has a strong presence in the region through RMIT Vietnam and partnerships in key locations like Indonesia.   

“We’re working to expand this and make positive contributions to the region, especially in locally relevant skills development like digital literacy and innovation, logistics, cyber security and gaming,” he said. 

Having served in the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2025, O’Connor has fulfilled numerous ministerial roles in the Rudd, Gillard, and Albanese governments, including Employment, Home Affairs, Immigration, Small Business, Skills and Training and Shadow Defence. 

O’Connor says RMIT’s values and commitment to helping regions thrive align with his passion for equity and inclusion and belief in the transformative power of education. 

“I’m excited to work with RMIT to grow cross-sector partnerships and further develop critical skills and lifelong learning across key sectors and regions.  I see education as a pathway to opportunity and am delighted to be able to continue the mission I started many years ago in government,” he said. 

14 August 2025

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14 August 2025

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