Ahead of the Federal Government's Jobs and Skills Summit later this week, Weld Australia is calling for a practical, actionable plan to ameliorate the severe welder skills shortage.
Weld Australia estimates that, unless action is taken now, Australia will be 70,000 welders short by 2030. This urgent issue is not unique to Australia; the US will face a shortage of 500,000 welders by 2030, and Japan estimates a shortfall of 250,000 welders by 2050. This global shortfall of welders is driving most developed nations to implement extraordinary measures to resolve it—Australia must follow suit.
According to Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia), "Australia does not have the welders to deliver the nation's critical energy, defence, rail and infrastructure projects. We will be unable to deliver on the Federal Government's promises, like renewable energy targets that require fabrication of wind towers, solar panel structures, hydrogen plants and battery processing plants. Access to the global supply chain for fabricated steel products is a high-risk and expensive proposition."
"We need a practical, actionable plan that can be implemented now to overcome the welder skills shortage—not political posturing and promises that cannot be kept," said Crittenden.
Weld Australia is proposing a two-pronged approach: a radical overhaul of welding apprenticeships; and tapping into hidden sources of talent.
A Radical Overhaul of Welding Apprenticeships
The existing Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication) is a nominal 720 hours of face-to-face teaching at a TAFE interspersed with practical experience in the workplace via an apprenticeship. This is spread over three years.
Weld Australia proposes that the current course is condensed into one year, with the existing training package taught in two 24-week blocks. Once the course is completed, competency will be assessed and the Certificate III qualification awarded. Graduates will then be required to qualify to the International Standard for Welding Competency (ISO 9606).
"The shorter course will seem less daunting to school leavers and will encourage mature aged applicants. Training will be more intensive and is likely to be more efficient. The number of apprentices graduating will increase, and the skills of welders will increase dramatically," said Crittenden.
Tapping into Hidden Sources of Talent
An analysis of people identifying as welders indicates that less than 50% have any formal welding qualifications. Clearly, there are a significant number of welding jobs that require a Skill Set (practical competence) without necessarily having the full range of trade skills.
Weld Australia has had significant success in offering Skill Set training—based on existing Units of Competency in the Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication)—to disadvantaged Australians. This training ultimately leads to employment as a welder.
Weld Australia proposes that a series of courses covering basic welding Skill Sets are funded and included within the scope of all RTOs teaching welding.
"A change in the immigration quota may offset the skills shortage but it will not solve the problem. We must tap into often unrecognised sources of talent by offering a learning pathway to those who often feel estranged from the skilled employment market: the long term unemployed, women, Indigenous Australians, those serving prison sentences, employees transitioning from carbon-based industries, and others."
