Develop industry-led initiatives to address skill shortages that will attract new workers to entry-level qualification pathways, and to upskill existing workers through workplace-based education and training that can be formally recognised.
Skills response recommendation
Strategies to address the skills shortage currently facing the manufacturing sector, and to provide a pipeline of workers for the future, should include:
Establishment of Careers Advisory Services across Australia focusing on rewards from undertaking apprenticeships, recognising career opportunities for highly skilled workers and changing the image of manufacturing
Positioning apprenticeships as the bedrock of entry level training
Initiatives to increase participation in apprenticeships, with the goal of restoring levels in existing trades to 2012 levels
Increasing the coverage of apprenticeships to Diploma and Advanced Diploma qualifications that incorporate extensive STEM-based skills