The Australian minerals sector has a shortage of skilled professionals to satisfy an industry that is experiencing renewed vitality. Graduate numbers are low throughout Australia and the world, while economic rationalisation is seeing many educational institutions downsize, or even close, their minerals-related programs. In addition to requiring more entry-level graduates, minerals producers are looking to update the skills of their current workforce to keep up with the industry's continuing technological revolution. To address the issue the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) endorsed collaboration between several Australian minerals producers and a team of universities to generate the Mineral Tertiary Education Council, or MTEC. MTEC recently initiated a venture to increase the availability of professionals with relevant skills to the minerals industry. Primarily aimed at delivering postgraduate programs, the initiative will allow graduates from other disciplines to 'convert' to the minerals sector as well as provide professional development training to an existing work force. This venture represents a novel approach in that courses will be delivered by more than one institution and will employ innovative teaching materials with flexible and remote delivery' formats. The programs will cater specially for professional development in the minerals sector, which generally requires high flexibility due to the nature of work conditions and locations.
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