Labor’s National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) is designed to boost investment in advanced manufacturing, infrastructure and innovation that Australia has been lacking. But to deliver on this commitment, engagement with Australia’s engineering skills deficit is required.
This is the message from Engineers Australia following a federal election with significant ramifications for the profession. While Engineers Australia welcomes the $15 billion fund expected to help rebuild Australia’s industrial base, there will be upward pressure on the demand for engineers at a time when they are already in short supply.
“New projects in infrastructure, defence, and advanced manufacturing point to a strong forward vision, however the current shortage of skilled engineers and STEM professionals puts delivery of these projects at risk,” said Engineers Australia Acting CEO Michael Luddeni.
“Engineers are at the forefront in responding to the effects of climate change, delivering Australia’s economic recovery, building resilient communities and responding to global instability.
“So the priority from the government must be to address the skills shortage.”
What needs to happen to strengthen the skills pipeline?
Luddeni believes holistic and long-term plans from schools, universities and industry partnerships will be needed to fill the current shortage, and the earlier the better “so investment can go to the right areas”.
“Developing a strong pipeline of STEM professionals to fill domestic shortages also requires engagement from primary school to university and constructive involvement by industry to ensure the education provided meets the needs of business,” Luddeni said.
That education focus and investment should also go into delivering high quality and more agile and targeted training methods that reflect the current learning landscape of the digital age. For Engineers Australia’s Chief Engineer Jane MacMaster FIEAust CPEng, that should “include a mix of traditional tertiary education, micro-credentials, and short courses”.
Another important pillar is having a skilled migration program that is fit for purpose.
“At the last census 58 per cent of Australia’s engineering team were born overseas and skilled migrants play a crucial role in maintaining Australia’s engineering capability,” MacMaster said. “The profession relies on talent, knowledge and experience from around the globe.”
With Australia competing with the United States, the United Kingdom and the rest of the OECD, Australia’s visa application process and immigration system and programs must be seamless if we are to attract highly skilled talent to deliver on big projects.
In 2021, Engineers Australia called for a major overhaul of Australia’s skilled migrant system. In their submission to the Federal Joint Standing Committee on Migration inquiry, Engineers Australia called out the “inefficient utilisation of migrant engineers”, which sees qualified professionals more likely to work in “non-engineering roles”.
Engineers Australia acknowledges this is a problem that industry and government need to address together to ensure smart, skilled engineering professionals are in roles that are appropriate to them.
A chance to drive home-grown innovation and sovereign capability
MacMaster previously told create that the country would benefit from someone within government willing to take ownership of the question of sovereign capability. With the NRF the industry just might be getting it.
“The National Reconstruction Fund is a welcome initiative as investment in capabilities, defence and renewables help to build resilience in the face of global disruption,” said Luddeni.
With Labor forming a majority government with 77 seats, and the teal wave of independents and Greens claiming heartland Liberal seats, Luddeni sees “enormous opportunities for Australia to implement meaningful reform and policy at a unique time in our nation’s history”.
In all the recent comments about engineering skill shortages there is no mention of engineering cadetships for part time study. Industry, government and universities should be encouraging this option as a proven method of providing an immediate boost to the skill shortages. This was used very successfully in the post second world war period of high growth. I was a very happy customer resulting in two degrees and loads of great experience.
I suggest that the shortage of skilled engineers lies in the perception of would-be migrants that Australia is not the attractive proposition that it used to be. Smouldering social unrest , as an example, is a deterrent particularly to those who already experience it in their home country. Better the devil you know than the one you don’t !
Faltering education standards are another.
This constant talk about engineers shortages is a bit of a beat up. Why not go back and look at history of the late 60s through to 80s, there was major construction of power stations, water treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, airports, freeways, electrifying the Qld railways and large buildings as well as large numbers of both private subdivision and public housing. All with significantly lower number of engineers today.
My concern is the man marking that goes on in large projects. The Sydney and Brisbane Airport rail links had small project management teams representing the clients of 16 to 20 people, whilst at Shell in the early 90s the project management team safely delivered the tripling of the fuel storage at Sydney Airport including new pipelines through the main runway, new HV substation, control room and the first touch screen control system and new sets of hydrants at the terminals. This was accomplished with a small project team of five senior staff and two experienced non-engineers for pipelines and tanks to oversee the steel welding and assembly whilst the airport was fully operational.
Yes they were supported by a small team of design consultants skilled in oil and gas. During those decades there was a greater use made of the Clerk of Works roles and as someone who came through the UTS Sandwich program I can highly recommend this method of study. I continue to ask what do all these people do now when they are delivering major projects especially with all the electronic aids provided today.
Skills shortage? Thousands of qualified experienced engineers from overseas are already here doing casual jobs. But having no local experience they are not welcome into the local engineering industry. If they are all employed, there is no so-called ‘shortage’.
I totally agree with comment about engineering cadetships. I was in one in the 50s and they were very popular in telecommunications, power industry, railways, roads, mining, etc. EA should take the initiative and go out to big industry and don’t expect govt to do this – it never did. Also re migrant engineers and their qualifications, that is also precisely the role of EA to provide guidance in the visa process – don’t expect governments alone to do all the checking before they arrive. It should always be a learned society process to validate their qualifications.