Weld Australia has clinched the Excellence and Manufacturing Skills Development Award at the 2023 Endeavour Awards for its MEM Training Packaging Resources.
Celebrating 20 years in 2023, the Endeavour Awards is presented by Manufacturers’ Monthly and recognises innovative organisations and manufacturers in Australia.
This year, Weld Australia received an award for its suite of resources that offers 12 welding and fabrication units of competency in the Manufacturing and Engineering Training Package.
Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden said the resources suite helps simplify the learning process for students, teachers, and training institutes.
“Weld Australia believes that a national industry, which has a national learning package, needs national learning resources. Whether you’re an apprentice in Kalgoorlie, Ultimo or Davenport, you should have access to the same, high-quality training. Our goal is to help ensure that high-quality welder learning is consistent across the country.”
Developed with students, teachers, and training organisations in mind, the suite features a user-friendly interface, diversified delivery methods, and audited and accurate material.
The MEM Training Packaging Resources suite is completely available online and can be accessed via phone, mobile device, or computer.
Welders are increasingly becoming more in demand as the welding industry grows and faces labour shortages.
According to Weld Australian members, 50 per cent of the nation’s welding workshops are currently operating at 80 per cent of their capacity or below primarily due to the lack of skilled workers.
South Metropolitan TAFE in Fremantle, West Australia was the first organisation to facilitate an officially piloted use of the resources.
“Being able to link in with Weld Australia and other TAFEs, improved training outcomes—there is a better consistency from a technical perspective Australia-wide. It has improved our focus on digitisation and e-learning, and the increased the flexibility of how we deliver,” said Jonathan Maile, executive director for engineering, transport, and defence, at South Metropolitan TAFE.
“We’re able to utilise these training resources in class to support lecturers. If apprentices miss classes, they can access the resources and catch up a lot more quickly than trying to reschedule another block later on,” Maile added.
