Canberra business, labour, education and social service bodies have identified improving migration, skill training opportunities and housing as priority issues going into the national summit.

Lifting completion rates for apprenticeships and assisting more disadvantaged students into university - particularly those who are the first in their family to attend university - were key focus areas for easing the skills shortage in the ACT that came out a roundtable on Friday hosted by ACT Labor MPs Andrew Leigh and David Smith.

Separately, Greens leader Adam Bandt weighed into the national debate ahead of the summit saying his members want the priority to be on lifting wages and, will use their numbers in the Senate to push for changes to the law to guarantee wage rises.

"Government must lift wages now. Not in three years, not when there have been skills reforms, but now," Mr Bandt said. "The Greens won't be a rubber stamp for government side-deals with big corporations."

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While larger corporations have been invited to the summit on September 1-2, more than 60 roundtables being held place around the country, like the one in Canberra on Friday, have brought many more voices that the Labor government are seeking out as it pushes for a consensus on reforms to address jobs and skills issues.

Participants in the local roundtable ranged from ACT-based university vice chancellors to public service, union, business, technology and community service leaders.

The roundtable recognised a need to ensure migrants are treated as well as local workers, Dr Leigh said.

"There was a striking degree of consensus on the benefits of immigration to the ACT economy, and the importance of ensuring that migrants are treated well in the ACT, and recognition that there are still pockets of discrimination."

In the Australian city with the highest share of federal public service jobs, it was a reality that needed to be recognised that non-citizens would not have the same government employment opportunities, but other sectors of the ACT economy needed to be aware of the talent non-citizens.

"We need to make sure there's plenty of good jobs available in the private sector of the ACT economy," he said.

Housing was also a jobs and skills issue for the ACT as it was impacting people moving to the capital for employment, Dr Leigh said, in addition to the sustainability of people being able to live comfortable lives.

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The ACT should be making a contribution in the skills area of the summit's discussions, he hoped, as Canberra is unique in Australia in training more people than it employs.

"We're now a natural hub for building up the skills base. We're batting above our weight when it comes to increasing the skills level of the economy."

Mr Smith said ensuring there was support for apprentices was important, particularly encouraging mature age apprentices, would fill a gap with fewer people leaving school early.

"If we're going to be moving aware from an emphasis on gas, we need to be training up more electricians with particular skills to be able to work in [electrification]," the Bean MP said. "Interesting that that came up from both the employer and union side."

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