The Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA) estimates that the mining and automotive industries nationally will grow by over 72,000 workers over the next decade.
In its Workforce Plan for 2024 – Moving Ahead Together, which incorporates input from industry, unions, governments, registered training organisations, and workforce stakeholders, it estimates a need for 31,000 more people in mining, 10,000 in oil and gas extraction, and 31,000 in the automotive industry.
Within the mining sector, roles such as truck drivers and drillers have national vacancy rates that are above pre-Covid levels. The sector faces challenges related to an ageing workforce, with a median age of 45 and a higher proportion approaching retirement than entering the industry.
AUSMASA CEO Dr Gavin Lind says the alliance plans to continue working with education, industry, and workforce stakeholders to address critical and emerging issues affecting the mining and automotive industries.
“This plan brings together our key activities, projects, and priorities and explores a range of new economic insights and contemporary workforce data to support the mining and automotive industries,” Lind said.
“Building on our Initial Workforce Plan, this latest iteration includes deeper industry-level workforce data on demographics and future projections, coupled with existing vocational education and training (VET) data on specific training packages.
“Overall, AUSMASA’s 2024 Workforce Plan provides a broader and more granular evidence base of workforce and student-level data to identify and propose solutions to the workforce challenges faced by our industries.”
Lind also spoke of the emergence of electric vehicle (EV) technicians as “a critical occupation”, adding that it underscores the need for targeted training programs and vocational pathways to meet industry demands.
“With EVs representing a significant technological shift, advancements in other areas, such as advanced driver assistance technology and autonomous systems, are also driving innovation.
“The integration of these technologies requires upskilling of the workforce and investment in training infrastructure to ensure workers have the necessary skills to operate and maintain advanced systems effectively.”