Mt Isa Instrumentation Up-skilling
The mining industry is experiencing a severe shortage of electrical trades with specialist skills in automation & process control instrumentation. Many companies have attempted to address this shortage through visa programs, acquiring these specialist skills overseas.
Over the coming years, all industries including the mining, oil & gas industries, will have a significant need for these skills, and the preference for many organisations is to develop these skills locally.
Demonstrably, industry prefers dual-skilled electrical/instrumentation technicians licensed to work on mains powered electrical, automation and process control instrumentation equipment and systems.
This project aims to up-skill/cross-train existing workers from participating employers to address the skills gap around support of automation and process control instrumentation technology operating on-site. Workers are undertaking training and are provided with mentor support for ongoing workplace learning.
Practical training is delivered on the mobile Targeted Technology Introduction Module (TTTIM) educational training platforms, shipped to Mount Isa TAFE from SAGE Didactic in Adelaide. This allows workers to train on industry relevant, automation & process control instrumentation, industrial electronic, PLC control and associated industrial communications systems and equipment without leaving their regional location. Successful students will graduate with a Certificate IV in Electrical-Instrumentation UEE4041 and be work ready.
Instrumentation training is delivered by RMIT as the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and SAGE as the subject matter experts. The delivery of this course utilises the facilities at Mount Isa Institute of TAFE (MIIT). RMIT, as the RTO, undertakes or supervises all assessments. Over the two year period, thirty participants will be trained ensuring their work readiness at the completion of the course.
Pre-requisites for the training are an AQF level three electrical trade qualification or an A-class electrical licence.
A total of 28 training blocks are delivered, with each block requiring one or more custom designed TTIM Educational Training Platforms to be shipped from SAGE Didactic in Adelaide.
The project is based on conducting two blocks consecutively to obtain best value for money, reducing costs associated with freight, set-up & pack-down and facilitator travel costs.
The training provided assists the participating organisations to address the current skills shortages that are significantly affecting their own workforces and the workforce of the sector in general. Additionally, through the development of specialist skills and knowledge in the complex area of automation & process control instrumentation, the participating organisations expect to experience considerable efficiency, safety and productivity gains.
At the individual participant level, those who complete the training will receive a nationally recognised, industry endorsed and highly transportable qualification, thereby improving their competitiveness in regard to future opportunities for employment and promotion.
Project Statistics:
Australian Government $282,345
SAGE Didactic $548,085
Total NWDF Investment $830,430