The Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s 2024 Jobs and Skills Report, highlighting its valuable insights but stressing the urgent need for action to address critical challenges.
The report provides analysis and evidence aimed at guiding the Government’s initiatives while fostering collaboration to build a more prosperous future.
Vocational Training in the Spotlight
AREEA commended the report for recognising that future employment growth will increasingly depend on post-secondary qualifications outside of traditional university pathways.
While university education remains crucial for developing the next generation of resources and energy professionals, AREEA emphasised that vocational education and training (VET) will play a vital role in meeting the industry’s growing demand for diverse, high-tech skills.
A Billion-Dollar Pipeline of Opportunities
AREEA’s Resources and Energy Workforce Forecast (2024-2029) revealed that 107 major resources and energy projects are set to enter production between late 2024 and the end of 2029. With a combined value of approximately $131 billion, these projects are forecast to create 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,” said AREEA deputy chief executive officer Tara Diamond.
“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.”
Call for a Coordinated Skills Strategy
Diamond urged the Federal Government to implement a targeted approach to address gaps 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 explained.
“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.”
To secure a robust pipeline of talent, Diamond also called on the sector to inspire the next generation by highlighting the exciting, high-tech opportunities in automation, robotics, and other advanced roles.
“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.”
The 2024 Jobs and Skills Report provides a crucial framework, but turning its insights into action will require collaboration and strategic investment to ensure Australia’s resources and energy industry is equipped to meet future challenges.