The Federal Government initiated a review of data collections for jobs, occupations and skills shortages, using new analytical software and real-world auditing to validate the results. This is good news for the “invisible” plastics industry, as we finally have real published data on which to base Government training assistance and business decisions. The 2023 Jobs and Skills Australia Priority List (ANZSCO 2022) now lists the 399916 Plastics Technician as being in a skills shortage (S), and the 2023 Australian Apprenticeship Priority List shows Plastics Technician with its three qualifications, being:
- PMB30121 Certificate III in Polymer Processing;
- PMB40121 Certificate IV in Polymer Technology; and
- PMB50121 Diploma of Polymer Technology.
In Queensland, the PMB30121 and PMB40121 qualifications cover all of the Government-funded plastics apprenticeships like Composites Technician, Extrusion Technician and Injection Moulding Technician.
