In March, Weld Australia confirmed that Australia’s welders are more than capable of building the new fleet of eight nuclear-powered submarines agreed to in the $368 billion AUKUS deal. However, the biggest risk facing the nuclear-powered AUKUS submarine build is whether enough skilled welders can be recruited and trained. As such, Weld Australia is calling for a Shipbuilding Welding Academy to be established and funded by the Federal Government.According to Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia), “There has been some discussion in the media over whether the quality of Australian welders is sufficient to build the proposed AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines. Australia’s qualified welders are more than capability of building the new fleet.” “Some pundits have stated that the quality of welding required for a nuclear submarine is of a much higher standard than that required for a diesel electric conventional submarine. However, all welding must be of the highest quality if the submarine is to meet the necessary survivability objectives—whether the submarine is nuclear or diesel powered is irrelevant.” “Whilst some welding on nuclear boats is undertaken in line with different International and Australian Standards, and utilises different materials, the quality of the weld must be the same: that is to zero defects.”The biggest risk facing Australia’s nuclear-powered AUKUS submarine build is not welder capability, but the recruitment and training of enough skilled welders.“Australia is already facing a severe shortage of skilled welders. Even before the AUKUS deal was signed, Australia was looking at a shortage of 70,000 welders by 2030. So, unless we take serious precautions now, there simply won’t be enough skilled people to undertake the welding required,” said Crittenden.

According to Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia), “There is no magic solution to Australia’s skills crisis. We need a radical approach. The same old approach that we’ve taken for years will not arm Australia with the skilled workers needed to deliver the record number of projects we’re seeing in industries like defence, renewables and infrastructure.”
“A veritable army of skilled workers, including welders, will be required to build and install the infrastructure needed to achieve the Federal Government’s 43% emissions reductions target by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Unless action is taken now, Australia will be at least 70,000 welders short by 2030.” “It truly is the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.”
“A welding apprenticeship currently takes three years to complete. New welders will not be qualified until at least 2026 and, even then, will not be skilled or experienced. We simply won’t have the skilled welders required to build and install the green energy infrastructure to meet the 2030 targets. “Welder training courses also need to be overhauled. The TAFE welding course and curriculum has not been updated or revised since 1998.
Several occupations related to welding and fabrication were added to the Priority List, including Welder, Pressure Welder, Fitter, Metal Fabricator, Metal Machinist, Metal Casting Trades Worker, Sheetmetal Trades Worker, and Blacksmith. In fact, 11% of the occupations included in the Priority List are now related to welding.
Occupations on the Priority List are eligible for financial support through the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System. A wage subsidy of 10% is provided to businesses in the first and second year, and then it drops to 5% in the third year. Up to $5,000 in direct payments is made to apprentices across two years.
“The skills crisis is not unique to Australia; the US fabrication industry will face a shortage of 500,000 welders by 2030, and by 2050 Japan will need around 250,000 welders,” said Crittenden.
“This global shortfall of welders is driving most developed nations to implement extraordinary measures to resolve it. Australia must follow suit. We need a practical, actionable plan that can be implemented now to overcome the welder skills shortage—a plan that delivers more than just financial support to employers.”

For those who lose their jobs the world of “outplacement counselling” can offer a different view

Telecity revealed on Wednesday that chief executive Michael Tobin was to leave the data centre business, with the announcement detailing the terms of his “termination payment” which included up to £45,000 plus VAT for “outplacement counselling and assistance”.
Read more…

When it comes to pulling off a great job interview, knowledge is power. The 30-60 minutes that you spend with a hiring manager in an initial interview is your one chance to make a great impression and get your foot in the door. Every second that the interviewer spends briefing you on the position, its responsibilities and the company is time that you could be using to form a bond with this person. If you’re adequately prepared for the interview with research on the role, the company, the industry and even the interviewer, you can use these precious minutes far more effectively than if you were just nodding along to their usual spiel on the position. In order to stand out as memorable against the dozens of other people that are being interviewed, you need to spend as little+ time on the basics as possible and that means doing your homework.
Read more…

This was the day you had been hoping for. After a 3 month search by a recruiter, vetting of a candidate that everybody unanimously felt was perfect for the role…you receive an acceptance to your job offer to someone we’ll call ‘Joe’. Your remote office in the Washington DC area will finally have its senior technical Mid-Atlantic sales leader. The candidate will begin work in 30 days, which is standard, and time to finish up unfinished business.

Read more…

Studies show that employees are increasingly getting jobs via referrals, recommendations and word-of-mouth and less so via job boards. Employee referrals are the most effective way to find a job at the moment. But, before you go rushing out to networking events and social media job forums, save a small, special thought for the art of cold calling, which has the potential to be one of the most effective ways to make quality contact with employers via word-of-mouth. Incisive cold calls can nudge people, introduce, create an impression, make some one stop and listen, jog memories, and set appointments in a way that can’t always be achieved via social media and emailing alone.
Read more…