The unveiling of the National Robotics Strategy has ignited optimism within Australia’s technological community, with the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) hailing it as a crucial step towards fostering a thriving robotics industry.
ATSE CEO, Kylie Walker, underscored the significance of the Strategy’s focus on bolstering Australia’s skilled workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
“The success of the Strategy depends on the availability of a highly trained workforce of STEM professionals and particularly engineers,” she affirmed.
Emphasising the crucial role of diversity in workforce recruitment, Walker echoed ATSE’s stance outlined in their submission, advocating for inclusivity across underrepresented groups identified through the Government’s Diversity in STEM review.
Highlighting Australia’s prowess in robotics research and development (R&D), the Strategy lauds the contributions of industry stalwarts like Finisar optical switching technology, developed in part by ATSE Fellows Dr Simon Poole and Dr Steven Frisken, recipients of the prestigious Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in 2018.
According to the organisation, the Strategy underscores the importance of cybersecurity, a sentiment echoed by ATSE in their submission.
ATSE also commends the Strategy’s recognition of the groundwork laid by the Robotics Australia Group, chaired by ATSE Fellow Sue Keay FTSE, in sculpting industry roadmaps.
With a comprehensive roadmap in place, ATSE said it anticipates a surge in funding, particularly for R&D, to galvanize Australia’s robotics landscape and unlock its latent productivity dividends.
“The Strategy’s success indicators outline a clear and achievable vision for bolstering the Australian robotics industry,” Walker asserted.
He concluded, “Increased robotics R&D expenditure and increased government procurement of Australian-made robotics systems will be central to building on our current robotics opportunities.”
