21,000 new workers needed
A NEW report claims the Australian mining industry will require about 21,000 new on-site operational employees by 2024 in order to meet the demand for mining projects.
The 2019-2024 Mining Workforce paper released by the Australian Resources and Energy Group, AMMA, found that 57 projects worth $41b, which have either been committed or considered likely by the Australian Department of Industry, will need 20,767 on-site operating employees by 2024.
The forecast occupational breakdown includes 8660 mining plant operators, 2847 heavy diesel fitters and 4180 engineers, technicians, geologists and various related roles.
AMMA chief executive Steve Knott said understanding future workforce demand was critical to assisting industry with workforce planning strategies, and to assist government in directing skills and labour mobility initiatives.
“Australia’s mining industry is facing new workforce demand at levels not seen since the previous investment and construction ‘boom’,” he said.
“While demand across the next four years will be far steadier than the unprecedented growth we saw in 20052012, it is clear that securing the pipeline of skills to support mining project growth to 2024 will be a significant challenge.
“This challenge must be met headon, collaboratively, by industry and government.
“Employers, peak industry bodies and state and federal governments are united in our desire to be well prepared for the workforce demands of this next phase of industry growth.
“We must avoid a scenario where nationally significant mining projects are delayed by skills shortages, or competing for engineers, trades and skilled operators with the $100b worth of public infrastructure projects reportedly in Australia’s pipeline.”
State-by-state analysis shows Western Australia will have the greatest new mining workforce demand, with 30 projects requiring 10,679 operational employees by 2024.
Iron ore accounts for 29pc of this forecast growth, with lithium, gold and copper also strongly represented.
Queensland will require 5714 new mining employees, driven by a number of large coal projects coming online over the next four years.
Importantly, AMMA’s report does not factor in the 153 prospective mining projects considered by the Department of Industry as ‘possible’ to proceed over this timeframe.
“AMMA was determined for this forecast to be highly conservative,” Mr Knott said.
“We have put forward the minimum likely number of new on-site workers our industry will demand over the next four years, based on projects already committed or very advanced in feasibility studies.
“This conservative approach also factors in automation, remote operating centres, closure of ageing mining projects and other factors that could impact workforce availability in the near future.
“Should a number of projects considered ‘possible’ in the mining project pipeline become committed, AMMA’s forecasted new workforce demand of 21,000 by 2024 could be exceeded very significantly.”