The Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s 2024 Jobs and Skills Report, but emphasised the need for action.
The report outlines evidence and analysis that aims to guide the Government’s work and help it collaborate effectively to achieve a more prosperous future.
According to AREEA, the report is strong in its recognition that future employment growth will rely heavily on post-secondary school qualifications outside universities.
The association said that while university education remains integral to a blossoming next generation of resources and energy industry professionals, vocational education and training will assume greater importance in meeting the industry’s increasingly varied and high-tech demands.
AREEA’s recent Resources and Energy Workforce Forecast (2024-2029) shows there are 107 major resources and energy projects in Australia’s investment pipeline – either already committed or considered advanced – expected to enter production between the second half of 2024 and end of 2029.
These projects are worth around $131 billion and are forecast to drive demand for around 26,810 new production-related jobs.
“While such growth is a wonderful sign, the resources and energy industry is still grappling with longstanding skills’ shortages,” AREEA deputy chief executive officer Tara Diamond said.
“Engineering and geology roles are two of the highest skills in demand, but we know that geoscience graduates are in major decline and reports have projected an engineering skills crisis by 2040.”
Diamond called for a coordinated, targeted response from the Federal Government that focuses on issues in the training pipeline.
“It means a well-funded, coordinated and navigable education system where the universities and the VET sector are talking to each other and producing courses and learning outcomes aligned to what industry needs,” she said.
“And strong additional investment in TAFE and apprenticeships – especially advanced skill apprenticeships – tying in these better links between secondary school, vocational education providers and universities.
“As a sector, we also must appeal to the next generation’s curiosity and forward-thinking by accentuating rapidly evolving automation, robotics and high-tech skills and roles.”
Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
