Skills reform trial to fast-track more Australian mining jobs

The mining skills qualifications reform trial project announced today by the Morrison Government will help more workers get faster access to qualifications for employment in Australia’s world-leading minerals industry.

Making more people job-ready for a rewarding career in Australian mining requires more relevant and contemporary qualifications and training providers who can deliver these qualifications to meet changing industry and worker expectations.

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The trial – linked to the digital transformation, apprenticeships and attraction and retention project hubs announced late last year as part of the industry-led Mining Skills Organisation Pilot (MSOP) – will explore how qualifications can be simplified through a less prescriptive approach and how better advice can be provided to training providers.

The MSOP is being delivered by the MCA and partners across the mining industry with support from the Australian Government.

Industry leadership will be provided through MSOP’s involvement in the trial to ensure activities better meet industry needs and provide confidence to industry that there is a pipeline of appropriately-skilled people to fill the jobs created by mining to support Australia’s economic recovery.

This is another big step in achieving a more responsive and flexible Vocational Education and Training (VET) system in Australia to deliver positive outcomes for industry and workers.

With increasing technology adoption, workers should expect that VET sector qualifications will make them job-ready or allow them to move between jobs in the mining industry.

Industry needs greater confidence that VET qualifications will remain relevant as the nature of work changes. 

An efficient, contemporary and focused vocational education and training sector is critical to supporting further job creation by Australia’s minerals sector. 

With over one-third of the 240,000-strong mining workforce holding a Certificate III or IV qualification, improving qualification reform models is crucial for the industry.

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