Back in July of last year, the Queensland government launched the Skills for Queensland – Great training for quality jobs strategy.

The goal of that strategy (VIEW HERE) is to create a workforce that has the skills to ‘meet the current and future needs of the labour market right across the state’.

This is an enormously important task. All industries will have to adapt to swiftly changing marketplaces and business environments, and there is probably no industry that is going to be affected more by these changes than automotive.

We all know by now that our industry, across all sectors, is on the cusp of dramatic and permanent change and the emerging challenges range from the consumers’ changing tastes in vehicles, the ‘always online’ and digital nature of today’s society, and, of course, the incredible technological revolution that is changing the very nature of the vehicles around which the entire industry revolves.

Hybrid cars, battery-electric vehicles, new materials such as carbon-fibre being used in those vehicles’ construction, the emergence of 3D printing technology and its application in manufacturing, the ever-increasing use of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and the associated complexity of electrical and computer systems – all these changes and more are already having an impact on those employed within the industry, and the requirement for the knowledge and skills to successfully work with these technologies is growing, and will continue to grow.

Recognising the need for a skilled workforce that can meet the challenges that automotive and other industries face is why the government launched the Skills for Queensland – Great training for quality jobs strategy, and part of that plan includes designating organisations, and individuals within those organisations, as Industry Skills Advisors.

The job of these advisors is to support the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training’s (DESBT) industry engagement and provide advice on:

• Current and emerging industry direction, regional skills needs and training solutions, jobs growth and employment opportunities for the vocational education and training (VET) supported workforce;
• Effectiveness and suitability of DESBT’s current VET investment programs;
• Implementation of the Queensland VET Quality Framework; and
• National VET reform agenda and the review and development of training package product.

Earlier this year, the Government selected MTA Queensland as the Industry Skills Advisory organisation for the automotive industry, and it is a great honour for me to take on the individual role and be the point of contact for industry.

It will be my job to engage with employers, small business and industry stakeholders and, utilising the support and extensive resources of the Association, provide high quality, evidence-based industry advice and intelligence about current and emerging industry direction, regional skills needs and training solutions, job growth and employment opportunities. The advice MTA Queensland gives DESBT, based on our interactions with industry, will have a major impact on the decisions the government takes, the priorities it sets, and the investments it makes in our industry in the coming years. It as a tremendous responsibility and one that we at the Association are extremely honoured to take on.

What does this mean for you as a member of MTA Queensland or someone working or training in automotive? And how can you help to shape the direction our industry takes. As in many things, communication is the key and there are a couple of ways you can let me and the Association know your thoughts.

As the Industry Skills Advisor I will be attending and participating in all MTA Queensland committee meetings. The committees, as you may know, cover the breadth of the automotive industry and represent 11 divisions within the Association. They are:

• Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA – new car dealers)
• Automotive Engineers Division (mechanical repairers)
• Automotive Parts Recyclers Division
• Automotive Remarketing Division (used car dealers)
• Engine Reconditioners Association of Queensland (engine reconditioners)
• National Auto Collision Alliance (paint & panel/tow trucks)
• Queensland Farm and Industrial Machinery Division (farm and industrial machinery)
• Queensland Motorcycle Industry Division (motorcycles)
• Rental Vehicle Industry Division (rental vehicles)
• Service Station and Convenience Store Association of Queensland (service stations)
• Tyre and Undercar Division of Queensland (tyres, brakes and suspension)

It is at the meeting of these division committees where problems, concerns, ideas and solutions are discussed and they are a terrific sounding board for me to understand, in the context of the Skills Advisor role, where each sector is, where it wants to be, and what they hope to see the government do as each tackles the developing industry landscape.

Alternatively, you can use the form to be found HERE to relay your thoughts to us.

The feedback received at these committee meetings and via the online form will be vital in the message relayed to the DESBT, the crafting of future educational structure, and in organising to best take advantage of the opportunities that will present themselves in the coming years.

I encourage everyone to reach out to the committee members relevant to your sector (click on the division links above to find out who they are). Understanding where the industry currently stands and what we believe is the right direction for us, is the information the government is after.

We are on the cusp of dramatic change in our industry. It’s vital that we are moving in the direction and are creating a workforce that is excited about their work, passionate to learn more, in possession of the right skills, and ready to take on the challenges that will emerge. If we do this right, the Australian automotive industry’s deserved reputation for being the home of world-class technicians and offering world-class service across every sector will be assured.

I look forward to hearing from you.