It was great to spend time this week at the TAFE Robotics & Advanced Manufacturing Centre for the Australian Industry Group session, How Data and Robotics Are Shaping the Steel Industry.
The discussion, which included insights from Watkins Steel and Holovision, offered a practical look at how robotics, automation and better use of data are changing the way Australian manufacturers operate.
What stood out most was that advanced manufacturing is not about replacing traditional trade skills. It is about building on them. The next generation of tradespeople will still need strong technical foundations, but they will also be working with automated systems, digital workflows and increasingly sophisticated production technology.
This is closely connected to the work we are already doing at Decon across electrical infrastructure, telecommunications and clean energy. Strengthening Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability means investing in local design, engineering and production, while also helping develop the skilled workforce needed to support it.
That requires genuine collaboration between manufacturers, industry bodies, training providers and technology partners.
Thank you to the Australian Industry Group and TAFE for bringing the conversation together. It was encouraging to see the capability already being developed, and the opportunities ahead for Australian manufacturing.