The Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance has underscored the importance of industry-aligned workforce planning following a visit to the Monash mRNA Workforce Training Centre in Melbourne
Executive Director of Stakeholder Engagement Jana Perera and Manager of Taskforce and Committees Phil J Clarke toured the facility, which is Australia’s first dedicated centre for mRNA workforce training, the alliance said in a LinkedIn post.
The centre was established through a partnership between Monash University and mRNA Victoria, with support from the Victorian Government.
The Monash mRNA Workforce Training Centre brings together purpose-built training laboratories, industry-informed short courses and expertise across pharmacy, engineering and biomedical research.
The model is designed to support skills development for Australia’s emerging mRNA and advanced biomanufacturing workforce through a highly collaborative training environment.
According to the Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance, discussions during the visit highlighted strong industry interest in outreach and awareness initiatives aimed at more clearly articulating career pathways into the sector.
The alliance said these pathways are expected to span roles from laboratory technicians through to scientists, with new and evolving occupations anticipated as the mRNA and biomanufacturing sector continues to grow.
The alliance further stated the insights gained from the visit reinforced the need for proactive, industry-aligned workforce planning to anticipate future capability requirements.
It noted that building a sustainable talent pipeline will be critical to supporting long-term growth in advanced manufacturing fields linked to mRNA technologies.
