AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY ENTERS NEW ERA OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT

The automotive industry has a new ally in developing its skills and workforce capacity. The national Industry Skills Council, Manufacturing Skills Australia (MSA) has taken over responsibility for the automotive industry from its predecessor Automotive Training Australia. MSA will work with the automotive industry to navigate a future that is likely to include a reinvention of jobs, technologies and supply chains in response to changing social, economic and environmental priorities.

MSA will be responsible for gathering automotive industry intelligence, developing and maintaining national training qualifications and ensuring that automotive enterprises have the right skills to meet current and future workforce needs. It adds the automotive manufacturing, retail, service and repair sectors to an extensive portfolio of industries.
CEO Bob Paton believes that the industry has much to gain in its new association with MSA. “Manufacturing Skills Australia has extensive experience and capacity in working with industry to ensure skill needs are met” he said. “In particular, MSA leads the way in the development of skills in lean and competitive processes which target waste and process inefficiencies within enterprises and across supply chains, and help build profitability. The automotive industry has a challenging time ahead and, like many of MSA’s stakeholder industries, will be dependent on having access to a skilled and innovative workforce to transition with the new opportunities that present.”

Industry Skills Councils are the leading industry bodies charged with national workforce development and work closely with enterprises and industry stakeholders to identify and address workforce issues and inform government policy development. They are instrumental in shaping apprenticeships, traineeships and trade outcomes and other levels of vocational qualifications. The decision for MSA to represent the automotive industry in workforce development was made by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Julia Gillard.

The MSA Board of Directors welcomes the automotive industry and has instigated a thorough review of governance arrangements to ensure that the needs of all sectors across the industry scope of MSA are adequately addressed.

MSA has expanded its staffing and capability and is in the process of establishing industry committees and reference groups and building its networks to ensure the automotive industry is intricately involved in the continual improvement of the industry’s two key training packages for Automotive Manufacturing and Automotive Industry Retail Service and Repair. It will work closely with representative organisations and others such as the new Automotive Industry Innovation Council and automotive stakeholders to ensure that all activity is well informed and driven by industry priorities.
MSA receives funding from the Australian Government through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

More information and registration to participate in MSA initiatives for the automotive industry can be accessed through the organisation’s website: www.mskills.com.au.