Reports

From the President

Welcome to the first edition of Materials Australia Magazine for 2021. The year is quickly ramping up and things are progressing well for Materials Australia. There is certainly a sense of optimism about what the new year will bring and we are all looking forward to the post-pandemic future. Membership remains strong and we are investigating further opportunities to expand the activities of our state branch across the country.

While we are still in somewhat of a holding pattern with regards to running face-to-face events, we are still planning for a successful 2021. We expect to facilitate a combination of online, hybrid and in-person events this year, with the hope that our ‘new normal’ will translate into continued membership growth. Preparation is well underway for the CAMS 2021 conference to be held in December, which will be a major event for Materials Australia. If you can, I encourage you to support this conference, plan to attend, and potentially present your work. Looking to the future, where do Australia’s best opportunities lie in materials science and engineering? While facing financial challenges, companies will need to prioritise environmental and social governance to protect themselves and their financial position. Materials science and engineering plays a pivotal role in society and will continue to underpin the future of the country, helping to create healthy, sustainable and prosperous communities. Although we have faced some difficult times recently, as a country, Australia has been notably able to cope with many challenges. With assistance from Government and support from industry, demands for a skilled workforce in the materials sectors continues to expand. Without locally trained staff, we cannot rapidly grow advanced materials industries and capitalise on the opportunities available. The increased value of a local workforce has recently been further reinforced due to the challenges brought about by border restrictions and the reduced ability to travel. Our allied industries (such as manufacturing, fabrication, welding, NDT, and so on) are reportedly still performing well on the whole and we look to be on the verge of a new manufacturing renaissance within Australia. However, attracting staff in the under-35 age bracket is a particular problem. Many industries are reporting skills shortages and new opportunities for training, upskilling or reskilling are present. Since labour shortages are actually a long-term problem, new initiatives in capability development of people should help to diminish reliance on what can be difficultto-fill jobs. Training and mentoring have always been a key part of professional development, and these are activities that, as an organisation, Materials Australia can work to promote in 2021. It is especially important to continue our networking activities, and support the future professional materials specialists. There is also an opportunity for all of us to explore new learning models and methods. If you have worked for a company or in an industry for several years, your knowledge and experience is a major asset—not only for your employer, but also for your colleagues. If we are serious about upskilling our workforces, we need to be proactive and start thinking about how we are going to actually train them. Handing the task over to someone else is not necessarily suitable, nor is it possible to simply try to recruit people with the desired skillset, especially in niche industry areas. In my company (AWBell), we were very fortunate to have been part of a collaboration that gained funding via the Workplace Training Innovation Fund for developing a new Course in Precision Metal Castings, to be administered by Chisholm TAFE. As part of this, I have recently been developing coursework for five units of competency with a strong focus on workplace skills and training. We expect to soon be enrolling our staff for the pilot of the course, which will run over two years. We hope to eventually have all staff complete the course, which we expect will have many long-term benefits. Most importantly, it gives the company the ability to grow, reduce operating risks, and build resilience.

It is important to note that, when we first proposed this course and asked for expressions of interest from staff, the response rate was extremely high and very positive. If your company is interested in developing training content specifically for your own staff, it is really a great option to follow as a means to facilitate company growth. In closing, there is an optimistic future on the horizon. Local manufacturing is well positioned and has support of the both state and federal governments to grow our industries that are fundamentally based on advanced materials technologies. As before, I wish you, your families and friends the best of health and to stay safe during 2021. Best Regards

Roger Lumley,

National President