TAFE NSW Glendale has moved to help local panel beating and vehicle finishing businesses to recruit employees to address skills shortages within the industry.

Across the state, panel beating and vehicle finishing businesses filled just 54 per cent of advertised vacancies last year.

Local business representatives were invited to attend an industry event in November to interact with leading industry professionals and to explore the range of courses available in vehicle refinishing and repair at TAFE NSW.

TAFE NSW Head Teacher of Light Automotive, Industry and Resources, Dave Allen, said the event went successfully and everyone was able to take a lot away from it.

“We had a great turn out at the event and attendees learnt about current industry trends, viewed live demonstrations and discovered new and emerging technology,” he said.

“It was a great opportunity for local industry representatives, teachers and students to share their knowledge; it’s at events like this that we discover new ways of doing things that we can then incorporate into our training for future students.”

TAFE NSW is committed to connecting students with further employment opportunities. The event aims at trying to find those industry skill shortage gaps and fill them, so future students can excel further.

“We support students to gain the practical skills and knowledge that they need to pursue a career that they’ll love,” Dave continued.

With the automotive industry employment figure in 2019 at 287,896 which is expected to rise leading into 2020 – 2024, now is the time for people to get the skills they need to pursue career opportunities.

There are likely to be around 8,000 panel beating job openings over five years and the number of people working as Vehicle Painters is expected to grow by around 7,000 over the next five years.

IMAGE | TAFE NSW vehicle industry trade night