Australia: Direct employment—Creating an enabling environment

This case study examines Australia's approach to creating an enabling environment for direct employment in the mining sector, focusing on the integration of government policy, education initiatives, and the development of the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector to maximize local industry participation.

• Mining is a critical economic driver in Australia, with 267,700 people employed in the sector as of 2016, representing 2.3% of the total workforce. The industry is characterized by a high proportion of full-time roles (95%) and serves as the largest private sector employer for Indigenous people, with over 6% of the workforce identifying as Aboriginal.
• Australia utilizes a flexible, non-mandated approach to local content. Rather than standard targets, mining companies must implement an Australian Industry Participation (AIP) plan to align procurement and employment with the principle of "full, fair and reasonable" access. Specific targets are negotiated on a case-by-case basis, supported by strict reporting requirements to ensure transparency.
• The government and industry collaborate on education to build a talent pipeline. Key initiatives include the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA), which partners with schools to provide workshops and industry tours to locations like Mount Isa and Moranbah. Other programs include Mining Education Australia (MEA) for engineering students, the Mining Leaders Program by the Sustainable Mining Institute (SMI), and the 4Girls2 program for female students.
• The Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector is a strategic priority for the Australian government to diversify the benefits of natural resources. Combined with mining, METS activities support 1.1 million jobs, or 10% of total employment. To enhance competitiveness, a government-funded METS Growth Centre was established in Brisbane.

APA

Grice, T. (2018). Australia: Direct employment—Creating an enabling environment. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/sites/default/files/publications/case-study-australia-direct-employment.pdf

Chicago

Grice, Tim. Australia: Direct employment—Creating an enabling environment. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2018. https://www.iisd.org/sites/default/files/publications/case-study-australia-direct-employment.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Grice |first1=Tim |title=Australia: Direct employment—Creating an enabling environment |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2018 |url=https://www.iisd.org/sites/default/files/publications/case-study-australia-direct-employment.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{grice2018australia, author = {Grice, Tim}, title = {{Australia: Direct employment—Creating an enabling environment}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2018}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/sites/default/files/publications/case-study-australia-direct-employment.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }