Our workforce insights are now available
AUSMASA's Workforce Insights Report 2026 – Workforces in Transition brings together data, research and industry engagement to show how Australia's mining and automotive workforces are evolving and what this means for the future.
As AUSMASA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Gavin Lind explains, "Both the mining and automotive industries are entering a period of significant transformation. The pace of technological change, the shift toward Net Zero, and evolving workforce expectations are fundamentally reshaping how work is performed and the skills required to support it."
Across both sectors, the report identifies a shared set of challenges. Ageing workforces, persistent skills shortages, and growing demand for digital, diagnostic and electrical capabilities are putting pressure on workforce systems. At the same time, electrification, automation and changing career pathways are redefining how industries attract, train and retain workers.
This year's report makes it clear that this transformation is already underway and accelerating. The challenge is no longer just understanding these shifts, but ensuring workforce systems, training arrangements, and policy settings can keep pace. Without this alignment, the gap between industry need and workforce capability will continue to widen.
"The opportunity is clear, but so is the risk," Dr Lind warns. "If our workforce, training systems and policy settings don't evolve at the same pace as industry, we create bottlenecks that hinder progress rather than enable it."
This year, AUSMASA has strengthened how these insights are delivered. Alongside the report, new State of the Industry views for mining and automotive provide a more focused look at workforce composition, employment trends and the structural issues shaping each sector.
"We've introduced State of the Industry insights to make it easier for stakeholders to access and apply the data," Dr Lind says. "They offer a clearer, more practical view of what's happening across each sector and where action is needed."
The 2026 report also marks a shift to a digital-first approach, with insights released progressively through the AUSMASA Research Hub.
"This keeps our work accessible, timely and actionable, not just something published once a year," Dr Lind adds.
As the Jobs and Skills Council for mining and automotive, AUSMASA connects industry insight with workforce intelligence to enable the coordinated, system-wide response these challenges demand.
The report makes clear that this work cannot be done in isolation. "Workforce planning depends on partnership," Dr Lind says. "It requires coordinated action across industry, training providers, unions and government to ensure the system works."
As industries continue to navigate change, the ability to understand and respond to workforce trends will be critical. With the right collaboration and investment in skills, Australia is well placed to build a workforce ready for the industries of today and the future.