The study, Accessing the Required Skills from International Markets, released yesterday by the Minerals Council of Australia and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA, has identified that the industry could make better use of skilled migration to ease the pressure of the current skills shortage.
It found the minerals industry is Australia’s lowest user of skilled migrants and companies could use skilled migration to help solve their short-term labour problems.
The report says only 19% of the minerals industry workforce was born overseas compared with 25% of all workers in Australia.
Executive director of MCA’s Victorian division, Chris Fraser, says the labour shortages will continue to limit the growth of the minerals industry in Australia for at least the next 10 years if changes are not implemented.
Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA chief executive Tim Shanahan says it is pleasing to note recent Australian government recognition that the minerals industry is experiencing a structural change rather than a short-term cycle.
“The minerals industry workforce is set to grow significantly in the next decade and skilled migration is an important source of labour to ease the skills shortage,” he said.
The report also recommended the creation of a new regional visa category to cater for temporary labour supply crisis situations. This is particularly the case in the start-up phase of new mines and the provision of the associated infrastructure.
It also recommends the reclassification of geologists and metallurgists as 60-point occupations on the Department of Immigration Skilled Occupation List. There is a convincing case that these occupations should be reclassified from their current 50-point status to 60-point occupations, the report found.
A second MCA/CMEWA report on the skills shortage, also released yesterday, examines barriers to fast-tracking apprenticeships and traineeships, and recommends strategies for the industry to boost training and skills progression.
“For the industry to remain competitive at a time of exponential growth and chronic skills shortages, we need to keep building the skills chain at both ends – more apprentices and more highly skilled professionals,” Fraser said.
“The recent growth in apprentices and trainees in the minerals sector is evidence that there are no fundamental barriers to fast-tracking apprentices and trainees. But the report has identified opportunities for improvement by industry and government.”
Both studies were undertaken as collaboration between the Federal Government, the MCA and the CMEWA.
