The national Jobs and Skills Council for manufacturing, the Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance (Manufacturing Alliance), has completed its first regional visit to Maryborough, Queensland, in a joint initiative with Manufacturing Skills Queensland (MSQ).
The two-day visit marked a significant step in strengthening regional manufacturing capabilities and aligning workforce development with local industry needs.
Maryborough, a key manufacturing hub in the Wide Bay region, is home to over 8,000 workers and known for its expertise in heavy engineering and advanced timber manufacturing.
During the visit, the boards of the Manufacturing Alliance and MSQ met with local industry leaders, education providers, and students to discuss skills development, training pathways, and the progress of a proposed Centre of Excellence.
Sharon Robertson, CEO of the Manufacturing Alliance, said the visit reinforced the importance of regional voices in shaping national manufacturing strategies.
“Our first regional visit as Australia’s national Jobs and Skills Council for manufacturing demonstrates our commitment to understanding and supporting manufacturing capabilities beyond metropolitan centres,” Robertson said.
“This visit to Maryborough was one of the first regional site visits by our board and provided a valuable opportunity to engage directly with local industry, education, and community leaders. The insights shared reinforced the key priorities outlined in the 2025 Manufacturing Workforce Plan and highlighted the importance of strong regional partnerships as we move into the implementation phase.”
Robertson added that regional perspectives were vital to the effectiveness of Australia’s vocational education and training sector.
“Hence regional perspectives are essential if we’re going to build a truly national manufacturing capability that leverages the unique strengths of communities like Maryborough.”
The delegation toured the developing Manufacturing Skills Queensland Centre of Excellence and held discussions with local schools on creating clearer pathways for students into the manufacturing sector.
Rebecca Andrews, CEO of Manufacturing Skills Queensland, said the initiative would directly address workforce challenges.
“Labour shortages and skills deficiencies are some of the biggest challenges impacting our manufacturers,” Andrews said.
“The collaboration we’re seeing between manufacturers and schools in Maryborough provides a template for how regional communities can build sustainable manufacturing workforces.”
Andrews highlighted the Centre of Excellence as a cornerstone of future training delivery in the region.
“The Centre of Excellence represents a transformative investment in Maryborough’s manufacturing future, and it will make high quality training more accessible to manufacturers,” she said.
“The progress we’ve made in planning and securing support at federal and state level demonstrates the shared vision for manufacturing in our region.”
Robertson added that the Maryborough model could inspire similar initiatives nationwide.
“We see this centre of excellence as something that could be adapted for other manufacturing hubs across Australia, creating a network of excellence that strengthens our national manufacturing capabilities,” she said.
The Manufacturing Alliance confirmed it will continue its regional engagement program through 2025 and 2026, with visits planned across all Australian states and territories.
