5 January $450 billion in civil projects up for grabs, but the workforce must almost double to fill the skills shortage January 5, 2022By ICI Administrator Aspire 0 As the recent data from Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (IPA) and Deloitte into Australia’s public infrastructure pipeline highlights, civil contractors continue to face major skills shortages and capacity issues in meeting the record demand for infrastructure projects. Australia’s pipeline of infrastructure works continues to grow, which is fantastic for our economy and our nation. IPA reports that Australia will see an average quarterly spend of 16 billion dollars nationwide. This expenditure encompasses road, rail and major energy projects across Australia. However, there is a very real risk of delays and cost blowouts due to a lack of skilled workers in the Civil Industry. The IPA indicates we’re already seeing an acute shortage of high-end skills, such as tunnelling and signalling engineers and project directors. IPA’s new data in fact reveals that between July 2022 and October 2024, the infrastructure sector will need to grow its total workforce by nearly 43.4 per cent to meet the demands of the coming pipeline. “With $AUD450 billion worth of upcoming winnable opportunities in the major project market, this workforce challenge will only intensify,’’ says IPA’s Chief Executive Adrian Dwyer. According to the IPA, one solution to meeting this skills gap is to bring about reform to Australia’s skilled migration program. But to solve this issue we’ll need to do more than simply hire overseas workers. With the sector in need of more workers, and particularly those with “high-end” skills, we need to focus our efforts on attracting and retaining local talent. At ICI we’ve recognised the need to attract and retain people in our industry and we can achieve by focusing on improving the existing skillsets within the civil sector, including technical, business, people management and leadership skills. There are a variety of career paths that people can take within this industry but they need to know what opportunities are available to them and to have the chance to pursue learning paths that will help them advance in their chosen fields. Real-time data on Australia’s pipeline forecast from Infrastructure Partnerships Australia can be downloaded here. By Lee Gabbett, General Manager, The Institute of Civil Infrastructure (ICI) To stay up to date with latest industry news, trends and information, follow our Linkedin page Related Posts 91% of employers are experiencing a skills shortage Outlined in a recent Infrastructure Partnership Australia Pipeline report is evidence of a ‘once in a generation’ pipeline of civil works. The report identifies the pipeline in our region as having a value of 713.9 billion dollars, representing significant growth opportunities for our industry; as these projects come online. Waste Management in Civil Projects: A Guide to Minimising Risk and Impact If you're in the civil and construction industry, you're probably aware of how crucial waste management is in any civil project. It's not just about keeping things tidy; it's about minimising environmental impact, reducing costs, and staying on the right side of the law. In this article, we'll give you the lowdown on all things waste management, CEMP, and project risks. Civil Construction Project Management – Tips for Success Civil construction project management is a combination of cost, time, quality and risk management that enables cost-effective completion of projects within their constraints and to the agreed quality outcomes New Tax Breaks for Civil Contractors Investing in Skills & Training Federal Government announces tax incentives to businesses who invest in training and skills A $450 billion pipeline with record low numbers of skilled workers The current economic climate and forecast staffing/skills shortages have combined to create an atmosphere in which developing and retaining staff are crucial to business success. It’s increasingly apparent that contractors who invest in teams, who develop learning pathways and provide their staff with the skills needed to be successful will experience a significant commercial advantage. The Institute of Civil Infrastructure expands into Queensland The Institute of Civil Infrastructure has partnered with CCF QLD to launch the industry’s own continual professional development program for civil managers. Comment (0) Comments are closed.