The Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA) is the new Jobs and Skills Council to provide a strategic voice for the mining and automotive industries in the country’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. The organisation evolved from the Australian Minerals and Energy Skills Alliance (AUSMESA) and was formerly known as the Mining Skills Organisation Pilot, which was a project under the Minerals Council of Australia.
The Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA’s) Focus
The Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance is an independent voice that represents industries involved in mineral exploration and extraction operations, as well as emerging industries covering driverless automotive technologies. It recognises the importance of training reform and alleviating workforce shortages in both industries and has set its vision, mission, and goals around these key aims.
AUSMASA Key Areas of Work
The Alliance’s work will center around four key areas:
- Workforce planning
- Training product development
- Implementation, promotion and monitoring
- Industry stewardship
As part of its role, the organisation handles nationally recognised training products, including the Resources and Infrastructure Industry (RII) for mining, Automotive Retail, Service, and Repair (AUR) for service and repair and retail qualifications, and Automotive Manufacturing (AUM).
Importance of the Mining and Automotive Industries
The mining and resources industry has long been the backbone of Australia’s economy and will continue to play a crucial role for many years to come.
With the world’s increasing demand for critical minerals, the industry’s importance has never been clearer. Likewise, the automotive industry will play a key role, with reducing automotive emissions being a top priority for Australia to achieve its net-zero goals.
AUSMASA’s Stakeholder Engagement
The Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance has been proactively engaging with industry and education leaders across the nation to build upon its past successes and relationships.
The organisation has already met with various esteemed individuals in Canberra, including other JSC representatives, Professor Peter Dawkins of Jobs and Skills Australia, as well as Brendan O’Connor, Minister for Skills and Training, and Madeleine King, Minister for Resources.
The team will also attend conferences and events throughout Australia to engage with stakeholders and seek feedback on its initiatives.
Two New Data Platforms in Development
AUSMASA is collaborating with JSA to develop two new data platforms that helps the mining and automotive sectors:
The JSA Atlas
The Atlas will combine datasets produced by JSA and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This provides users with a ‘helicopter view’ of the labour market and skills data at a national, state, and regional level.
Data Profile & Placemats
The data profile and placements will provide current data on major employers, commonwealth agencies, workforce data, data challenges, VET data, occupations, unions, awards, and employer associations.
This informs what needs to be fulfilled in the areas of workforce, education, and training.
What This Could Mean for Your RTO
With the establishment of the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance as the new Jobs and Skills Council for the mining and automotive industries, RTOs that provide training and assessment in these industries will need to take note.
The alliance will have a key role in guiding the development and implementation of nationally recognised training products, which RTOs will be delivering. RTOs will also need to ensure they are up-to-date with any changes or updates made to the training products under the alliance’s oversight.
Additionally, the alliance’s focus on workforce planning and alleviating workforce shortages means that RTOs can expect increased demand for their services as the industry seeks to upskill and reskill its workforce.
Lastly, the announcement of two new data platforms can help RTOs with how they can strategise their recruitment and enrolment efforts given that they can gain valuable insights about the mining and automotive industries.
