Skills Shortages in the Australian Minerals Industry
At the recent Minerals Week 05 conference in Canberra, the Minerals Council warned that Skills Shortages threatened the expansion of the minerals industry in Australia. One of the key ways to expand the labour pool is to include more Indigenous people in work in the mining industry. The number of tradespersons has grown from 27,000 to 41,800 in the mineral sector in just two years!
The Minerals Council report Prospecting for Skills found that:
- there was skill shortages in the mechanical trades and electrical trades;
- all sectors of industry reported shortages in shift bosses and production supervisors;
- the shortages exist in both constructin and operational sites;
- the skills shortages are most acute in remote areas;
- the skill level requirements have increased due to technological advances and workforce restructuring;
- turnover in the industry varies - at some sites more than 22 per cent of employees have been employed for less than 2 years;
- nationally, the percentage of women employed in the sector is 7 per cent, with as few as 2-4 per cent in the trades.
The report also noted the importance of widening opportunities for more Indigenous workers as follows:
"A major initiative to increase the participation of the Indigenous population in the mining industry is the 'Working in Partnership Program', which is a collaboration between the Federal government, the mining industry and Indigenous communities. The program involves the minerals sector engaging in regional partnership and collaboration. Some of the issues identified by the Working in Partnership Program are specifically targeted at developing funding and improved education and training programs that would facilitate the movement of more Indigenous Australians into the minerals sector.
Many leading mining companies have implemented Indigenous employment policies to provide employment and training opportunities for local Indigenous people and employ a dedicated Indigenous liaison officer or Aboriginal employment unit. The companies may also provide preemployment training, skills and career development for Indigenous employees, business opportunities for local communities, often involving joint-venture arrangements, and facilitating opportunities for investment by Indigenous businesses. Many companies also provide cultural awareness programs to all employees. These programs have been particularly effective in the more remote locations.
Most of the companies consulted had implemented policies aimed at increasing the participation of the Indigenous population in the mining industry. These programs provide integrated activities in education, training and employment.
Pilbara Iron's Aboriginal Training and Liaison (ATAL) unit at Hamersley.
Since its formation in 1992, ATAL has developed and implemented a range of programs, including:
earthmoving operator training;
an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Apprentice School;
clerical traineeships;
business development;
cross cultural training; and
heritage projects.
In 2000, Pilbara Iron (part of Rio Tinto Group) introduced the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Apprentice School--Structured Training and Employment Project (STEP). STEP was developed in recognition of the strong demand throughout the
Pilbara region for skilled tradespeople. Pilbara Aboriginal communities recognise this demand and welcome apprenticeships as a secure pathway to employment. STEP is
run in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Aboriginal communities and host employers. It receives funding from the Commonwealth government.
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