Programs tailored to fit community needs, local leadership, and innovation are among the keys to creating "real jobs" in remote communities.

These were among the ideas raised at Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney's remote employment roundtable meeting hosted in Canberra on Wednesday.

The meeting, held in the lead up to the Jobs and Skills Summit, brought experts together to share their insights on employment challenges and labour markets in remote Australia.

Ms Burney, who hosted representatives from peak bodies, unions, community and business leaders as well as a number of local councils, said the government would replace the Community Development Program with a program with "real jobs, proper wages and decent conditions".

As a first step, the government plans to adjust the CDP to give providers an opportunity to work with communities in trialling new approaches to substantial employment.

"It is vital we put all the issues on the table, really debate them, and then in partnership, explore models that work for each community and their social and economic aspirations," Ms Burney said.

"We are deeply committed to being transparent with our program design and bringing First Nations perspectives into Government policy making."

Minister Linda Burney during Wednesday's roundtable in Canberra.

Ms Burney said a number of key points had emerged from the meeting.

"Particularly the importance of mapping, what employment opportunities are already in communities, particularly about the importance of community controls and say about what activities take place," she said.

"We also heard about the importance of capacity building, things like getting people job ready, the importance of focusing on young people, and most critically, the importance that we've announced today that providers will have 25 per cent of their budget freed up so they can try innovative creative things in their communities that will actually create employment.

"The whole point of the new program will be proper conditions, and certainly superannuation, long service leave are absolutely going to be part of the way forward."

Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation deputy chairman Micky Wunungmurra said Ms Burney was the first person to engage properly on remote jobs.

"I really admire this minister, because she is the first person to do this roundtable and highlight the weak points and things that we missed from the previous government that wasn't succeeding in community employment," he said.

"It's just the beginning to highlight what we have missed with employment for Indigenous people, and try to find a way to build... sustainability and a better future for our people."

Cape York Institute chief executive Fiona Jose said the meeting had examined what was needed to transition away from the CDP.

"We need to talk to our people about designing the jobs that are real jobs for them and that was a really key component from today," she said.

Ms Jose said it was vital to learn from experience on the ground, from what has worked and what hasn't, in designing "a real jobs program and not just work for the dole".

She said there was consensus at the roundtable to focus on "working with our mobs talking and co-designing at that grassroots level, so that we can provide a program around jobs for our people".