There are many pathways to a career in Australia’s battery industries
To create a diversified battery sector requires a skilled workforce of:
- university graduates, tradespeople and VET-trained operators to support the materials, refining and active materials processes and the deployment of batteries in transport and storage settings
- highly skilled technical experts, with backgrounds in industrial chemistry and engineering, to support the electrochemical processes in refining, active materials and cell and battery manufacture and testing.
As Australia grows its battery industries through to 2030, the workforce could grow from 6000 jobs to around 34,700 jobs. Around 8,000 of these new jobs will require a university education and the remainder will be mainly VET-trained personnel.
University pathways
Our eight partner universities offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in industrial chemistry and engineering:
- Curtin University
- Deakin University
- Murdoch University
- Queensland University of Technology
- The University of Adelaide
- The University of Western Australia
- University of Melbourne
- University of Technology Sydney
Battery-related courses for professional engineers are available through Engineers’ Australia.
Vocational education and training
Australian TAFEs, such as our associate participant South Metropolitan TAFE, and other Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) offer courses from relevant national Training Packages such as:
- RII – Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package. See, for example, the Certificate III in Resource Processing.
- PMA – Chemicals, Hydrocarbons and Refining Training Package. See, for example, the Certificate III in Process Plant Operations.
- MSL – Laboratory Operations Training Package. There are more than 50 RTOs nationally that deliver laboratory operations qualifications such as the Diploma of Laboratory Technology.
- UEE – Electrotechnology Training Package. See, for example, the Diploma of Industrial Electronics and Control Engineering.
- MEM – Manufacturing and Engineering Training Package. See, for example, the Certificate III in Engineering – Electrical/Electronic Trade.
VET units to support qualified electrical trades people doing battery installations include: