Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews has announced the launch of the “Future Skills” masterclass for the mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector.
Over the past 12 months, the METS Ignited Industry Growth Centre has partnered with industry to deliver 15 masterclasses to over 200 participants across the sector.
In September this year, the Staying ahead of the Game report released by Minister Andrews outlined the opportunity for the resources sector in transitioning to the next generation of skills. METS Ignited, in collaboration with the National Energy and Resources Association (NERA), is launching the Future Skills program to capitalise on this opportunity.
With the increase in automation and analytics, and the trend towards increasing remote operations, there is a significant opportunity for regional communities to bring together the local expertise with the next generation workforce.
Minister Andrews said the Future Skills Masterclass program is vital to the growth of regional communities and their access to jobs.
“Digital automation technologies continue to present a tremendous opportunity for Australia’s mining and resources sectors with the potential to add $74 billion to the economy and create over 80,000 new jobs by 2030,” Minister Andrews said.
“As the application of remote and autonomous technology matures in the resources sector, we need to make sure workers in our regional communities can take advantage of those opportunities.
“By bringing these elements together in a masterclass focused on regional areas, we will be creating job opportunities in remote locations for years to come.”
METS Ignited CEO Adrian Beer says Australia has already gained a great deal of experience in managing complex operations remotely.
“As the application of remote and autonomous technology matures in the resources sector, we see the opportunity to expand this capability beyond our capital cities and into our regional communities.
“Australia is unique in its combination of practical skills in applying new technology to complex operating environments, a deep industry knowledge and domain experience, and a proven track record in managing remote operations.
“By bringing these elements together in a masterclass focused on regional areas we will be safeguarding jobs and growth in remote locations for years to come. The program itself contains a mix of different delivery models, from online content, remote facilitation, and group training sessions. The focus of the course is to deliver practical skills in data, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, says Mr Beer.”
