Title hereSkills ShortagesMyth or Reality

Focus on Para Professional Occupations

CEAVThursday 23 April 2009

Ellen FlemingNICS – Resources & Infrastructure

Victorian R & I Sectors

Brown Coal (Latrobe Valley & Anglesea) Mining:

Gold (Ballarat, Bendigo, Horsham & Whyalla)Mineral Sands – Hamilton, Mildura

Extractive Materials – quarries Civil Infrastructure – roads, rail, harbours,

airports, water & sewerage and desalination plants

Telecommunications infrastructure

Victoria

Victorian Mining Projects

Expected 2009 skill shortages by occupation

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Technicians and tradesw orkers

Engineers

Apprentices and trainees

Other professionals

Labourers and processw orkers

Managers

Other

IT professionals

Clerical andadministrative

Percentage of respondents expecting skill shortages

Science, Engineering & related Associate Professionals

Source- DEEWR http://skillsinfo.gov.au/skills

6-7 April 2009 EU2009.CZ - Partnership conference6

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Legislators, senior officials andmanagers

Professionals

Technicians and associate professionals

Clerks

Service workers and shop andmarket sales workers

Skilled agricultural and fisheryworkers

Craft and related trades workers

Plant and machine operators and assemblers

Elementary occupations

1996

2006

2020

EU-25+Negative scenario

2020: Towards knowledge-intensive occupations 2020: Towards knowledge-intensive occupations

Workforce Skills Development Priorities

• improve the level of participation for those with low skills levels in workforce skills development

• increase the proportion of workers with high skills levels through workforce skills development

• more effectively link formal, non-formal & informal learning through workforce skills development

• improve information flows about & understandings of workforce skills development

• build world class skills outcomes for individuals & enterprises through high quality workforce skills development

Federal Governments $42 billion Stimulus Package

Nation Building Projects

• Australian Government’s plans for investment in critical rail, road and education infrastructure to provide a total of $7.4 billion across 46 projects

• Victoria will receive $1,963.1 billion• New telecommunications

infrastructure funding

Para Professional Occupations in Demand

• Engineering – Civil & Structural– Electrical engineering – Electronics engineering– Mechanical Engineering

• Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Officer• Geoscience Technician• Laboratory Technician• Metallurgical & Materials Technician• Technical Officers (Water)

Para Professional Skills

Para professionals typically performthe following tasks:• Conducting scientific tests & experiments• Administering the operational activities eg.

site office• Organising the operations on work sites• Assisting ‘professionals’ in provision of services• Inspecting sites and equipment to ensure

compliance• Coordinating work activities

Civil & Structural Engineering Associate

Specialisations – Civil Engineer Design Drafter, Engineering Technical Officer &Structural Engineer Design Drafter• Qualification: Adv Diploma in

Civil or Structural Engineering • Job opportunities: Govt. Depts.,

Local Govt., construction companies, engineering consultancy firms

Electrical engineering Associate/Technician

Specialisations – Electrical engineering design, drafting, technical officer, testing officers, maintenance & control systems technicians

• Qualifications: Cert 3 Eng. (Technical), Diploma in Eng. Technology, Adv Diploma in Electrical Engineering

• Job opportunities: Govt. Depts., mining, minerals processing, technical labs, telecommunications

Electronics engineering Associate/Technician

Specialisations – Electronics engineering design, manufacture, operations and maintenance of advanced electronic equipment & systems• Qualifications: Cert 4 Eng., Diploma in Eng.

Technology, Adv Diploma in Electronics Engineering

• Job opportunities: Govt. Depts., mining, minerals processing, telecommunications

Mechanical Engineering Associate/Technician

Also know as: Mechanical Engineering Officer• Qualifications: Cert. 3 Engineering

(Technical), Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology (Mechanical, mechanical design, mechatronics)

• Job opportunities: water, gas, electricity, minerals industries, technical (consulting engineering firms)

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Officers

Also known as Spatial Info. SystemsOfficer/Technician, Surveying Technologist• Qualifications: Diploma in Spatial

Information Services, Advanced Diploma of Spatial Information Services

• Job opportunities: Govt. Depts., LocalGovt., mining, companies involved in land use, planning and management

Geoscience Technician

Also known as Earth Science Technical Officer, Geological Technician, Geophysical Technician and Science Technical Officer

• Qualifications: Diploma in Survey (Mining & Engineering) or Diploma of Surveying

• Job opportunities: Govt. agencies, Uni. Geology Depts., mining & exploration firms, core laboratories.

Laboratory Technician

Also known as laboratory assistant / technician/scientific laboratory worker

• Qualifications: Cert. 3 Laboratory Skills, Cert. 4 Laboratory Techniques, Diploma of Laboratory Technology (various streams)

• Job opportunities: Govt. agencies, universities, mining & exploration companies and other industry sectors.

Metallurgical Technician

Work as engineering technicians, research assistants, laboratory technicians & technical inspectors • Qualifications: Advanced

Diploma of Engineering Technology• Job opportunities: mining companies,

research laboratories, metal manufacturers

Technical Officer (Water)

Also known as Water Services OfficerCity West Water Model:

– Cert. 3 Business – Diploma of Engineering Technology

(Trade subjects)– Level 2 First Aid– Confined Space entry awareness– Construction Induction

• Job Opportunities: metropolitan and regional water authorities, water & sewerage treatment plants

Contact Details

Ellen FlemingNICS – Resources & InfrastructureAustralian Industry Group20 Queens RoadMelbourne 3004efleming@aigroup.asn.au 0408 055 628 or 03 9867 0235www.careersconnected.com.au