Submission on Jobs and Skills plan development consultation paper

Read the full submission here: MCA submission Jobs and Skills plan development – 24 Jan 2024

The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) appreciates the opportunity to provide comment on: Jobs and Skills Australia’s 2024-2025 work plan development consultation paper.

The MCA acknowledges the achievements of Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) since its establishment in November 2022, noting the extensive outreach strategy and work to date, including the Clean Energy Generation: workforce needs for a net zero economy report.

Skills shortages are a huge risk to the international competitiveness of Australian mining, particularly when costs are rising faster than those of our competitors.

There are more than 299,000 people directly employed in mining predominantly located in regional and remote Australia.3 The broader mining and Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector support 1.1 million jobs at over 200 operating mine sites and in supply chains across the country.

The minerals industry supports the future focus areas proposed in the consultation paper, centred on addressing ongoing skills shortages, building the talent pipeline in regional Australia, increasing cohesion across tertiary pathways, and developing job ready graduates.

The MCA welcomes a joined-up approach and action across government, industry and training providers. Representing more than 130 members across the minerals, mining and processing industry and the supply chain, the MCA can provide a wider range of industry insight to support progress across the future focus areas listed in the consultation paper.