Mitchell Hooke, Chief Executive Officer, Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has said the recent Resource Sector Employment Taskforce announcement “provides a solid foundation for a national strategy on boosting the pool of skilled workers for the minerals industry. The Minerals Council of Australia is pleased the Government has endorsed all of the National Resource Sector Employment Taskforce (NRSET) recommendations and acknowledged the need for market-driven systems to increase the number of skilled workers. A market-driven vocational education and training system will better engage industry with government in responding to the skills needs of the economy and assist industry in providing real jobs.
“The industry particularly welcomes the Government’s decision to adopt the National Apprenticeship Program with an initial offering of 1,000 places co-funded by industry and the government.
“The proposed National Apprenticeships Program developed by East Coast Apprenticeships – a Brisbane-based Group Training Organisation – in partnership with the MCA will significantly grow the number of trade qualified people in the resources sector through a national advanced entry adult apprentice training program. The MCA looks forward to working in partnership with the Government on this and other initiatives identified; and to address the other strategic goals of the NRSET report
“The minerals sector will require an additional 77,500 people by 2015 including professionals and managers, tradespeople and operators. To meet this demand for mining engineers, geoscientists and traditional tradespeople, Australia will not be able to rely on existing education and training programs and structures or skilled migration to meet the demand.”
These announcements, he continued “begin the process of find new and innovative ways to overcome Australia’s skill-worker shortage and improve the nation’s flagging productivity.”
Australia’s Skills and Jobs Minister Chris Evans has launched an 18-month apprenticeship training programme for 1,000 workers and A$200-million in funding for critical skills training. Evans said funding was being targeted at practical, industry-based solutions designed to deliver skilled workers.