Skill shortage has emerged as a pressing concern in the Australian manufacturing landscape as volumes of migration into the country increase and the need to fill the manpower gap reverberates throughout the industry.
In an exclusive interview with Australian Manufacturing, Commercial Director for Asia Pacific at Intertek SAI Global Ben Marshall highlighted the need for Australian businesses to rethink their approach to workforce training as the manufacturing industry approaches a critical point where training technology takes on a crucial role in recruiting and training employees for the long term.
According to him, manufacturing companies in Australia still rely on outdated training models delivered by different training providers, leaving employees at various levels of understanding and competency.
Future-proofing the industry
A recent study conducted by Intertek Alchemy, Intertek SAI Global’s sister company and global developer of workforce training solutions in the manufacturing and food safety industry, found that the Australian market is seeking a technology-based approach to training, particularly when it comes to local food manufacturers, who are twice as likely to implement new training and technologies, or delivery methods in the next year when compared to global counterparts.
A substantial part of training in the sector is focused on on-the-job training and/or “read and understand learning of standard operating procedures,” which ultimately leads to a lack of standardisation and a high risk of non-compliance with food safety requirements.
“As we look to future-proof businesses in the Australian manufacturing sector, we need to implement modern training solutions that can be scaled and adapted to suit the needs of an evolving business without impacting on resources and productivity,” Marshall said.
Boosting local manufacturing with optimised workforce training
The manufacturing sector is a major employer in Australia, delivering work for over 870,000 people across the country, with the food production industry ranking as the top employer at 21.9 per cent and a projected 11 per cent year-on-year growth.
As the industry continues to grow and the demand for skilled labour increases, employers are facing the need to rethink their approach to workplace training and implement scalable and comprehensive systems to replace outdated approaches.
To address this, Intertek SAI Global and Alchemy have teamed up to deliver a technology-led, workforce skills development solution that is designed to offer leaps in productivity and accelerate efficiency for employers in the food production and manufacturing industry.
The Alchemy Training System offers hundreds of industry-specific courses based on adult-learning best practices with multiple delivery options and automated documentation to keep facilities audit-ready.
“Australia has an incredibly strong food and beverage industry that contributes substantially to employment opportunities across the country, particularly in regional areas. With a robust training platform like Alchemy in place, it positions food manufacturing businesses for growth as they are supported by a skilled and competent workforce,” Marshall said.
To learn more about Intertek Alchemy and its capabilities to scale the productivity of Australia’s existing and inbound workforce, visit alchemysystems.com.
