WRF hails investment to reverse skills shortage in the state
An industry-led initiative that aims to train 1,000 new skilled transport workers gains $6.1 million in Western Australian government funding.
The job-ready Heavy Vehicle Driving Operations Skill Set and driver training aims to tackle skills shortages, with a focus on assisting smaller transport operators without the capacity to provide on-the-job training.
The course aims to remove barriers to entry in heavy rigid (HR), heavy combination (HC) or multi-combination (MC) heavy vehicle driving through both theoretical and hands-on practical truck driver training.
The state transport portfolio is to provide targeted funding for delivery of industry mentoring for program graduates, to be co-ordinated by the Western Roads Federation (WRF).
“Advocating for a major investment in an industry-designed driver training program to address the skills shortage has been a key focus of WRF for the last year – we are therefore delighted with the announcement of such a significant funding commitment by the government,” WRF chair Craig Smith-Gander says.
“This training program sets a new standard for developing professional truck drivers in Australia in the future we aim to move to a formal apprenticeship program, recognising the vast skill sets that are required by professional transport operators.”
The course will be delivered in Perth’s north-eastern suburbs by Central Regional TAFE and is an expansion of the Heavy Haulage Driving Operations Skill Set being delivered in Collie, which will transition to the new program.
How this course came to life last year, here
The new program has been modified to provide students with more of the practical skills needed by industry, including on-road experience.
WRF, with the input of Livestock & Rural Transport Association of WA (LRTAWA) and the Transport Workers Union WA (TWU WA), has been advising the state government on issues affecting the industry, and has been instrumental in the development of the expanded skill set to address unprecedented skilled shortages.
“We’ve been campaigning for years for a creditable apprenticeship scheme in transport and logistics” TWU WA state secretary Tim Dawson says.
“This pilot program will go a long way to addressing the shortage of drivers in the transport industry.
“We see this type of program as important in assisting workers currently in the industry that want to upskill and anyone that wants to enter transport and logistics and have a long-term career.
“It is about time that the transport industry moved away from accepting drivers trained by second-rate training operators and the state government ensured that there is an avenue for proper accredited education and safe, professionally trained drivers are put on our roads.
“It is great to see the WA State Government recognise the essential work of truck drivers and ensure the long-term future of the industry by offering it as a sustainable and feasible pathway for young people.”
The aim of the pilot is to increase skilled workers in this essential service but also give existing workers the opportunity to upskill to more complex combination heavy vehicle driving, increasing industry productivity and safety.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated how vital the freight industry and truck drivers are to our State and our economy,” WA transport minister Rita Saffioti says.
“We have worked collaboratively with industry to create this program to make sure it gives truck drivers the skills they need while also helping jobseekers increase their employability.
“Western Roads Federation and the TWU approached the Premier, Minister for Education and Training and myself, asking to create a dedicated training course for truck drivers.
“We responded with our initial training course in Collie, and I’m so pleased we have been able to build on the success of that pilot and roll out a training program in the metropolitan area.”
The course will run for just over six weeks, with the first intake in the metropolitan area expected to start in March.
Regional locations are also in development.
The formal training component of the course will be free for job seekers and people under 25.
A small contribution will be required for participation in separate practical driving lessons, which will accompany the training.
Course participants will get a credit toward the Certificate III in Driving Operations traineeship and a leg up to complete the full qualification.
It comes as Saffioti also pledges a significant spend on truck rest stops in the state.