Weld Australia's Micro-Credential Program Offers a Lifeline
Australia is grappling with a welding workforce crisis, with a projected shortfall of 70,000 skilled welders by 2030 threatening major national projects, including South Australia's $9.9 billion Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project, the AUKUS submarine initiative, and critical shipbuilding programs. With larger firms absorbing available talent, small to medium-sized businesses are struggling to remain operational.
In response, Weld Australia has launched an innovative micro-credential program designed to rapidly train job-ready, certified welders in just 12 weeks. This program complements traditional apprenticeships, offering a comprehensive solution to address both immediate and long-term workforce demands.
The welding industry's existing apprenticeship model is crucial, producing highly skilled and versatile welders. However, the urgent demand for welders on key national projects simply cannot wait for the 3-4 years required to fully train apprentices. Weld Australia's micro-credential program offers an immediate solution by providing students with targeted procedure training aligned with the ISO 9606 standard. This standard certifies individuals to perform specific welding procedures, allowing them to become job-ready in as little as 12 weeks, depending on the intensity of the program.
Importantly, students who complete the ISO 9606 micro-credential are in an ideal position to continue their training through an apprenticeship, entering the program with accelerated knowledge and hands-on experience that will help them progress faster and more confidently.
