Closing the government's one day jobs forum in Canberra on Thursday, Ms Gillard said "it is not in this government's nature to be passive"
"We are very determined during this phase of economic transformation to spread opportunity, the opportunity for work or our nation in this phase of change."
Ms Gillard said the nation must seize the opportunities that would come from the growth of Asia, the resources boom, a clean energy future and the national broadband network.
The prime minister sought to reassure industries under pressure, such as manufacturing, retail, tourism and international eduction, saying the government had a solid vision for the future.
Mr Gillard promised to release an "updated tourism strategy" before the end of the year, and said junior Tourism Minister Nick Sherry would be asked to ensure tourism operators could capitalise on the National Broadband Network.
For the billion-dollar international education sector, she said the government would soon appoint the international education advisory council to help guide the industry back to its previous levels.
Ms Gillard also announced she would chair a special prime ministerial taskforce on manufacturing.
Developers of $2 billion-plus projects will get a five per cent tariff exemption on imports if they publish on the website details on the opportunities they have provided to Australian businesses.
"This is all about giving Australian business the fair go that it deserves," the prime minister said.
The government also plans to provide extra support to the tourism industry - which has been hard-hit by the high Australian dollar - and work with it on ways to benefit from the national broadband network.
Workplace Relations Minister Chris Evans will work with the states and industry on rolling out more training, particularly in the mining, clean energy sector and hi-tech manufacturing.
Australian Industry Group chief Heather Ridout said the measures were welcome.
"While there is no silver bullet to fix all the issues and all the pressures bearing down on manufacturing, over time these measures should contribute to building a more productive and competitive manufacturing sector," Mrs Ridout said.
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union national secretary Dave Oliver said the Australian participation plans and website would ensure companies receiving commonwealth funding gave local businesses "full and proper access".
"It fits exactly with what we have been arguing for - that we want to maximise the benefit of this mining boom," he said.
"It is not acceptable that we have as little as 10 per cent local content going into these projects."
Mr Oliver said his union would press for measures to ensure private businesses "buy Australian".
"That is one area (the new task force) should be looking at," he said.
Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie, who has been appointed by the federal government to promote Australian manufacturing, said the new measures would exert "partnership pressure" for companies to give local firms a "fair go".
"That means jobs for Australians," he said.
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Peter Anderson said jobs would not be created by "isolating or protecting Australian industry from the global environment in which we operate".
"What is critical is that Australian industry is rendered efficient and competitive, then it will have a fair slice," he said.
The ACCI will be looking at the participation plan expansion to see if it breached world trade rules.
Mr Anderson said industry did not use the jobs forum - which was sparked by a union campaign for a manufacturing inquiry - to "rattle the cage" of workplace reform, but he said such reform was vital.
"The elephant in the room continued to be the fact that whilst we can do a lot of things to improve skills and lift our productive capacity ... there are restrictions on Australian industry through the industrial relations system which are inhibiting employment," he said.
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