Two new automation courses are to be offered by South Metropolitan TAFE in Perth from the second half of 2019, the first outcome of the Resource Industry Collaboration between the Western Australian government, South Metropolitan TAFE and Rio Tinto.
The Certificate II in Autonomous Workplace Operations will be delivered as a pilot VET for secondary students from Cecil Andrews College, Gilmore College, Baldivis Secondary College and Karratha Senior High School.
The micro-credential course, Working Effectively in an Automation Workplace, is a skill set that trade qualified workers and apprentices can use to improve their skills in automation.
WA premier Mark McGowan said that the courses were a great example of industry working in partnership with government to ensure our training sector creates a highly skilled workforce.
“These new courses will allow us to maintain our competitive advantage as a leader in automation technology in Australia and ensure local people have the skills for the new jobs that are being created through technological innovation,” McGowan said.
“They will also ensure the diversification of our economy and help Western Australians assist the mining industry well into the future.”
The Collaboration includes Rio Tinto and other major employers, such as FMG, BHP and Komatsu, representatives from TAFE WA, Scitech and The University of Western Australia, and was created by the McGowan government in 2018 to build the skills and capabilities of the Western Australian workforce.