Training the workforce of the future
– 11 July
The importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills were highlighted during the recent federal election. With the election over, the sector is now focussed on the opportunities ahead. Manufacturers’ Monthly reports.
While the federal Coalition government, in its 2019 budget, recognised the need for greater enrolment of young people – and, in particular, young women – into STEM courses, the industry is calling out for action to help bring the Australian workforce up to speed with the rapid transformations in the industrial sector.
In delivering his budget, Treasurer Josh Frydenburg stated that the Coalition government would increase funding for programs encouraging the participation of women and girls in STEM. The budget papers detailed a $3.4 million package to support the greater participation of girls and women in STEM.
A report conducted by the Australian government, Towards 2025: An Australian Government Strategy to Boost Women’s Workforce Participation, found that today, men account for 84 per cent of all people who hold STEM qualifications. Less than 10 per cent of all engineering graduates in Australia are female, while in information technology (IT), only one in four graduates are women.
Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, noted that women are needed for industry to reach its potential.
“If we are to successfully deliver all the infrastructure and defence projects for the foreseeable future, we’re going to need almost as many women welders as we have men welders. We need to stop thinking about tradesmen and thinking about tradespeople and encouraging girls to get into their high vis and get out there,” said Crittenden.
The Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews, stated that “to ensure our children can compete for jobs in the coming decades, we need to build a strong Australian workforce with more science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills”.
Jonathan Russell, national manager for public affairs at Engineers Australia concurs, arguing that STEM skills will be needed, even if what industry will look like in the future is still unclear.
“I don’t think anybody truly knows what’s going to be needed in terms of technical skills in 10, 20, 30 years. What we do know though, is that engineering skills are going to be needed no matter what the future brings,” said Russell. Read full article