Chris Peters (AM) - Conference Speaker

Christopher Peters is the Chief Executive of the ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a position he has held since June 1997.

He was previously the Chief Executive of the Sydney-based Printing Industries Association of Australia. Prior to that, Chris was Chief Executive of the Canberra based Royal Australian Institute of Architects, and prior to that he was Chief Executive of the Sydney-based Company Directors' Association and foundation Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

For 9 years, Chris has been a member of the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS), ACT Vocational Educational and Training Authority (VETA), and the ACT Accreditation and Registration Authority (ARC).

The Chamber is the leading business organisation in the ACT and is heavily involved in vocational education and training and school to work transition. The Chamber plays an important role in three main areas:

1. promoting and supporting Australian School-based Apprenticeships
2. Employability skills & enterprise education
3. Career & labour market information and support

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Business Council of Australia and their members undertook a study focused on what attributes and skills employers were looking for in their staff. These ‘Employability Skills’ are crucial in a student’s readiness for the transition from school to the workforce and their ongoing success within an organisation and their career. The Chamber, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia, has developed a booklet to assist students to understand ‘The World of Work’ in the ACT.

On behalf of the Australian Government, the Chamber also runs the Employment, Education and Training program (EET), and the, Regional Industry Career Adviser program (RICA), which is a part of Career Advice Australia.

Chris represents business on over 20 government boards or committees. He is on the Board of several public companies and a number of community organisations. Chris is a member of General Council of the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI). He is Chairman of the Multicultural Business Chamber of Australia, Chairman of the Indigenous Business Chamber of Australia, Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Industry Council (ACT & Region) Limited and ACT Chairman of the Defence Reserves Support Council.