PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has warned that the current skills shortages could threaten Australia’s status as a minerals superpower.

“Skills shortages have been a constant theme during the latest results reporting season as company after company has bemoaned the effect on production and threat to future developments,” MCA CEO Tania Constable said.

“The skills deficit will continue to widen as demand for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills rapidly grows while the number of students obtaining STEM qualifications reduces.

“We are now at an alarming tipping point of moving from a cyclical skills shortage into a structural skills deficit,” she said.

Constable pointed to studies in 2020 that found that over the last decade the proportion of the Australian labour force with a STEM qualification has remained relatively unchanged, despite considerable government and industry initiatives to boost STEM qualifications.

“The mining industry is already taking action given its responsibility to overcome skills shortages rather than just relying on state and federal governments.

“Under the MCA’s leadership, more than A$65-million has been invested by the Australian mining industry in skills development since 2000. Beyond tertiary and vocational education programmes, our latest investment is the biggest we have made to date - an exciting gamification initiative aimed at Year 6 primary and Year 8 secondary students.

“We have developed educational games based on the Minecraft and other Web-based platforms to make the most of imaginative and inquiring minds studying earth sciences. This will help build the pipeline of curious, skilled, data-literate graduates to support its future success and growth.”

Constable said that if Australia wanted to improve STEM pathways, an urgent review of the senior secondary curriculum was needed, including mandating study of mathematics in year 11 and 12.

“Greater coordination is also needed across the training sector. It’s time to develop a dynamic national workforce plan to coordinate government efforts to address skills shortages and future workforce needs through higher education, vocational training, employment services and skilled migration.

“The minerals industry is working hard to expand its talent and demonstrate to prospective employees that we are a sector of choice. To attract and retain the broadest pool of talent, it’s up to the industry to create a culture that encourages people to bring their whole self to work where they feel safe, valued and respected.”