Weld Australia tackles welding workforce shortage with micro-credential program

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Weld Australia has launched a 12-week micro-credential program to address the nation’s critical welding skills shortage, which threatens major projects like the $9.9 billion Torrens to Darlington (T2D) development and the AUKUS submarine initiative. 

The program offers ISO 9606 certification, equipping participants with the skills needed to become job-ready welders in just three months, providing an urgent solution to Australia’s growing workforce demands.

“Rather than competing with traditional apprenticeship programs, our micro-credential approach fills the gaps and enhances the offering,” said Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden. 

He added, “It allows students to start contributing to the workforce quickly, while still keeping the door open for further, long-term training. This way, we have a comprehensive approach to addressing the welding shortage with short, medium, and long-term solutions.”

The ISO 9606 certification focuses on specific welding procedures, equipping students to contribute effectively from day one. 

Graduates are encouraged to transition into apprenticeships, leveraging their micro-credential experience to accelerate their training.

The initiative also emphasises inclusivity, targeting Indigenous communities, women, and the long-term unemployed, while offering school leavers a direct pathway into the workforce. 

Weld Australia has already demonstrated success through its prison welding programs and aims to replicate this with new welding academies across high-demand areas.

“With these welding academies, we’re creating a sustainable solution for the future of Australia’s welding workforce. We’re addressing today’s crisis while also planning for the long-term needs of industry,” Crittenden noted.