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A new report has identified opportunities to build the specialist workforce needed to support the Northern Territory’s (NT) future resources projects, with stronger education pathways, industry partnerships and targeted worker attraction among the priorities.
The Minerals Council of Australia’s (MCA) Territory Ready: Building Territory capability for the next generation of resource development report’s findings come as the NT looks to develop a pipeline of 16 advanced mining projects, representing $6.1 billion in planned capital investment, with potential to create 3200 construction jobs and 2800 operational jobs.
The MCA said the Territory can capture more long-term benefits from mining by developing local skills before projects move into construction and operations.
Mining skills shortages increased 68.5 per cent nationally between 2021 and 2025, according to the report. In the NT, the report found specialist occupations including geoscience, environmental, social and governance (ESG), mine closure and rehabilitation, process operations and mining engineering have limited Territory-based education and training pathways.
Building those pathways, according to the report, would allow more Territorians to enter technical and professional resources careers while helping employers develop a more locally skilled workforce.
The report also points to opportunities to increase participation among women and Aboriginal Territorians. Women account for around 19 per cent of the Territory’s minerals workforce, while Aboriginal people represent about 11 per cent, according to the report.
The MCA recommends that the NT Government, industry and education providers work together to identify occupations where sustained demand could support local training.
The report also calls for stronger pathways from school through vocational education and training (VET) and tertiary study into resources careers, with greater opportunities for young people, women, Aboriginal Territorians and other underrepresented groups.
According to the MCA, the Territory’s existing workforce provides a foundation for that growth. The report found operational, trade and supervisory roles already had strong local participation, offering an opportunity to build career pathways into technical, supervisory and leadership positions.
It also identifies emerging technical, digital and mine closure capabilities as areas that will be important to the future workforce. The MCA said a more coordinated approach to education, training and employment could help prepare Territorians for changing industry needs and strengthen the depth of the local skills base.
However, developing skills is only part of the challenge, as the MCA said attracting specialist workers must be matched with efforts to retain them, including professional development, mentoring, career progression and stronger professional networks.
The report identifies younger and mid-career specialists, including engineers and geologists, as potential targets for attraction efforts. Building opportunities for these workers to progress and establish professional connections in the Territory could strengthen workforce continuity, succession planning and knowledge retention.
Housing, childcare, healthcare, education and regional services also influence whether workers and their families choose to establish long-term roots in the Territory. The report recommends linking workforce attraction with settlement support, partner employment opportunities and broader regional liveability measures.
It notes that the objective is not to eliminate fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) work, but to identify occupations where greater Territory-based participation could strengthen local capability while retaining FIFO where needed.
Beyond workforce development, the report identifies opportunities to improve the competitiveness of Territory businesses and prepare infrastructure for future demand. Earlier communication of procurement opportunities could help local suppliers build capability and compete for work, while coordinated investment in roads, rail, ports, energy and logistics could reduce costs and strengthen supply-chain reliability.
The MCA outlines eight strategic actions spanning local business participation, infrastructure, specialist workforce development, education pathways and investment conditions. It recommends aligning government, industry and education initiatives through shared workforce planning, demand forecasting and targeted investment.
The report said building capability before construction begins will help the Territory turn future mining investment into local jobs, stronger businesses and more resilient regional communities.
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