training

Entries are now open for Queensland’s 59th annual training awards, and manufacturing employers are encouraged to nominate. “We want to see the best of our top training achievers recognised at this year’s awards including apprentices, trainees, teachers, employers and training organisations,” said Queensland Minister for Training and Skills Development, Shannon Fentiman. The awards are spread … Continue reading Manufacturers encouraged to nominate outstanding trainees →

The Western Australian government will focus on growing the number of trainees and apprentices in regional areas of the state. Minister for Education and Training, Sue Ellery, announced that the VET Regional Partnerships Program will grow links between all stakeholders in the sector to train workers with the skills industry requires. The program is part … Continue reading WA invests in targeted regional skills development →

The providers of Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) services from 1 February 2020 have been announced by the federal government. These organisations provide support services for apprentices and apprenticeship providers, such as manufacturing businesses which take on apprentices. These support services include advice, administrative support, payment processing, and targeted services for individuals who need additional … Continue reading Apprenticeship support providers announced for 2020 →

The federal government forecasts a 4.6 per cent national jobs growth in fabrication and engineering trades and Ahrens are accommodating for the future with its school pathways program. Ahrens take a hands-on approach when it comes to business and Managing Director Stefan Ahrens believes the same value should be applied to learning. “We firmly believe … Continue reading A hands on approach to learning: Ahrens’ school pathways program →

The Victorian state government has announced a review of the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) and the state’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector as delivered through Victoria schools. The review aims to establish how students can pursue a high-quality qualification while completing their senior secondary studies, and that pathways to trades skills are … Continue reading Review to look into Victorian trades teaching →

The WorldSkills national competition will be held in Perth in August 2020, announced Education and Training Minister, Sue Ellery. Across 60 skill categories, the WorldSkills Australia National Championships showcase and celebrate the best in vocational education and training around the country. “The event will also put our most talented apprentices and trainees in the national … Continue reading Australian WorldSkills titles to be in Perth →

Weld Australia has signed an agreement to develop a national shipbuilding welding education and training competency framework, with the Naval Shipbuilding College. With welding required for major projects such as the $90 billion continuous Naval Shipbuilding Program, and Australia facing a shortage of qualified and certified welders, the framework would establish standards and commonality in … Continue reading Partnership signed to prepare workforce for naval shipbuilding →

The construction of Western Sydney Airport will provide the skills and training for local workers employed on the project. A partnership between Western Sydney Airport and TAFE NSW has seen the establishment of a Skills Exchange on the construction site of the airport. As half of the workers for the airport are locally-based, the Skills … Continue reading Airport construction provides skills for the future →

The Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews, launched the Manufacturing Academy on September 24. Produced by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, the Manufacturing Academy is modelled on the Khan Academy, a globally-available video-learning platform. The Manufacturing Academy features Australian manufactures, such as Sutton Tools, Austeng, and iOrthotics, among others, and has each of … Continue reading Minister launches Manufacturing Academy →

A new site for the training of electricians has opened in Chullora, NSW. Developed by the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA), the Training and Apprenticeships Centre of Excellence, will provide training for first-year electrical apprentices. When fully operational, a maximum of 500 apprentices and post-trade learners will utilise the facilities at the centre. “The … Continue reading Electrician training facility seeks to stem skills shortage →

TAFE will look to deliver training in digital trades to meet the growth of “blue tech” jobs, such as cyber security, data and analytics, augmented and virtual reality, software engineering, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence. Following from a study tour to Canada and the US, TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) highlighted three themes … Continue reading TAFE looks to prepare students with digital trades qualifications →

Australia’s trainees and apprentices took their skills to the world’s best this August at the WorldSkills Competition. Placing eighth overall, the team of 15 made up one of 66 national teams that competed in the Russian city of Kazan. The competition, which showcases the benefits of skilled trade professionals and vocational institutions, ranked contestants with … Continue reading Australia lands 8th in the WorldSkills competition →

An inquiry into pathways into jobs for senior secondary students will bring together educators and industry to decide whether students are being taught the skills needed for the future. Led by Professor Peter Shergold, the inquiry has been commissioned by the Education Council, a body made up of state and federal education and training ministers. … Continue reading Review into senior secondary to study pathways to industry →

During the panel discussions as part of the National Manufacturing Summit, one topic that never strayed far from the lips of speakers was the issue of skills. With the focus of the summit set by the opening keynote speeches, panels of industry representatives, peak organisations, and educational providers discussed how to get the right mix … Continue reading National Manufacturing Summit: Minding the skills gap →

CNC-based machining tools has been widely adopted in the manufacturing business. Especially in the era of Industry 4.0, the new development of manufacturing technology should consider intelligent collaboration, process monitoring and management in real-time. As CNC operators require a set of skills and qualifications, educators and trainers are looking for engaging solutions to build these … Continue reading IoT ready CNC industrial control machines →

With the Morrison government extolling the virtue of vocational education and training (VET), the benefit of diplomas over degrees differs based on gender, according to a new report. Published by the Grattan Institute, the report found that for students with a lower Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR), VET courses can get them employed faster and … Continue reading Benefit of vocational education comes down to gender →

Victorian businesses are now able to apply for grants from the Workforce Training Innovation Fund. The fund provides support for industry and education providers to utilise innovative technologies and processes to upskill students to fit the needs of employers. Seed funding of $50,000 per project or grant funding of up to $5 million per project … Continue reading Partnerships between industry and education develops new products →

Putting research to work requires industry collaboration with education providers. Manufacturers’ Monthly reports. In 2017, the Office of Innovation and Science Australia released a review of innovation in Australia. Despite finding that Australia’s knowledge creation scored an A, the nation’s grades for applying this research to industry were significantly lower: knowledge transfer received a C, … Continue reading Internship program connects innovation with business →

How are businesses and government finding the funding and talent to launch into space? Connor Pearce reports. The cost of launching a small satellite into space, today, can be between $25-150 million per rocket, according to Adam Gilmour of Gilmour Space Technologies. Although cheaper than previous generations of launches, which could cost billions of dollars, … Continue reading Getting ready for launch →

There is widespread evidence that Australia’s manufacturing sector is growing. According to the Australian Industry Group’s (Ai Group) Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI), the sector experienced a 26-month long run of uninterrupted expansion from 2016 to 2018. More recently, the Australian PMI rose by 3.8 points to 54.8 in April, indicating even faster … Continue reading A critical constraint: Manufacturing workforce capability and availability →