Heavy industry roundtable to be held today

The federal government is holding a Jobs and Skills Roundtable for Australian Heavy Industry on Tuesday, ahead of the two-day Jobs and Skills Summit next week.

A statement from assistant manufacturing minister Tim Ayres (pictured) this morning said that he anticipated discussing the relevant challenges and opportunities ahead, and the strategies needed to train women and men in Australian manufacturing and to plan for the jobs of the future. The task ahead, he said, was “massive.”

“Workers and skills are at the heart of this, and today’s discussions bring together some of our country’s largest employers in these critical sectors,” said Ayres in a statement.

“The task before us is massive but one that we have to tackle. A big part of driving productivity and economic gains is creating secure, well-paid jobs.

“For existing heavy industry- big users of gas and electricity- the issues of energy price and supply are front of mind today, but the focus of the Jobs and Skills Summit is on making sure Australians have the right skills for the jobs of the future, and that industry is creating good, secure and well-paid jobs and lifting national productivity.”

InnovationAus notes that the 90-minute discussion is to be facilitated by Professor Roy Green, chair of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub.

Attendees will include representatives from the below organisations.

• Alstom
• Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union
• Australian Owned Contractors
• Australian Steel Institute
• Australian Workers’ Union
• BAE Systems
• Boeing Australia
• Brickworks
• CEA Technologies
• CSR
• Incitec Pivot
• Lendlease
• Raytheon
• Rio Tinto
• Thales

Image credit: www.alp.org.au

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