Creating our future transport and mobility workforce
Project partners: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, Swinburne University of Technology
About the project
The iMOVE project Workforce implications of transport digitalisation and automation developed understanding and recommendations in response to concerns that Australia faces significant digital skills gaps and challenges in the transport and mobility sector.
The project objectives were to:
- Provide a broad understanding of how transport digitalisation and automation will impact the current workforce and job market and understand new job opportunities.
- Assess the emerging skills required in the transport sector resulting from digitalisation.
- Identify evidence of skills gaps.
- Understand how transport organisations intend to respond to any emerging skills gaps.
- Analyse practices and approaches being implemented by business and government here and overseas.
- Make recommendations to Government on how to address emerging skills gaps and meet training needs.
The project involved a comprehensive literature review of relevant workforce studies, including what we can learn from international approaches to tackling skills challenges related to digitalisation.
The team also surveyed employers (decision makers) and employees across the breadth of the transport and mobility industry to identify future gaps and barriers to resolving these gaps, as well as preferences for training.
Key findings
Governments need to play a central role in lifting awareness, funding, and driving change. More specifically the recommendations are:
- Governments to provide leadership and national commitment to occupational digital skills development. The need for a nationally orchestrated approach in defining the needs of current and future
- Commonwealth and States to establish a measurable national standard for industry-specific digital upskilling programs
- Form networks of partnerships between businesses, education providers and community.
- Incentivise private investment by expanding scope of tax policies
In education, institutions will need to adapt their curricula, to deeply embed digital skills. Outside of universities, there is a pressing need for more training programs and accreditation schemes.
It’s also noted that though this study is a strong start, there is a need for more research. Recommendations here are to:
- Undertake research to address data gaps
- Undertake qualitative and case study research
- Undertake participatory design for next generation training models
- Develop standardised digital skills definitions, measurement, and assessment tools
- Develop a framework for digital skills by occupation in transport and freight sectors
Download the reports
We have two options for downloadable version of the final report, Creating our future transport and mobility workforce: Understanding the workforce implications of transport digitalisation and automation in Australia.
One is the full report, the other is the full report with a four-page executive summary. Make your choice by clicking on one of the buttons below.
FULL REPORT WITH 4 PAGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
UPDATE: April 2023
A webinar about the findings from this project was held on 26 April 2023. The webinar was entitled Our changing transport and mobility workforce – understanding and addressing future skills gaps. Watch a recording of the webinar at: VIDEO: Understanding and addressing future digital skills gaps
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