A landmark partnership between TAFE WA and Rio Tinto will ensure Western Australians are skilled to take up the jobs that automation and future advances in technology will create.
New TAFE WA curriculum for post-secondary courses and industry traineeships, to be developed over the coming year, will help ensure the current and future workforce has the qualifications, skills and competencies required by industry in changing workplaces.
The curriculum will be the first of its kind in Australia.
A recent report commissioned by the State Training Board showed the shift towards automation and innovative technologies would create new roles requiring different specialist skills such as electronics, computing and precision manufacturing.
By partnering directly with industry, the new qualifications will deliver the skills needed to meet industry demand and ensure Western Australians are equipped to take up the jobs of the future.
Rio Tinto will work with trainers from South Metropolitan TAFE to assess industry changes and future training needs over the next five to 10 years and ensure this is reflected in the curriculum.
The new industry traineeships and post-secondary courses are anticipated to commence in 2019. Rio Tinto is contributing $2 million towards the initiative.