The Manufacturing Alliance and the Manufacturing Skills Queensland boards have completed their inaugural regional visit to Maryborough, Queensland, highlighting the city’s growing importance as a manufacturing centre in Australia’s regional economy.
Manufacturing in the Wide Bay region employs more than 8,000 workers across all age groups, boasting impressive capability in heavy engineering and advanced timber manufacturing.
In a significant show of support for regional manufacturing capabilities, the boards of the Manufacturing Alliance and Manufacturing Skills Queensland held a joint event with local industry leaders and educational institutions, focusing on skills development and workforce planning.
Chief Executive Officer of the Manufacturing Alliance, Sharon Roberston said Maryborough represented the regional manufacturing excellence that Australia needs to foster.
“Our first regional visit as Australia’s national Jobs and Skills Council for manufacturing demonstrates our commitment to understanding and supporting manufacturing capabilities beyond metropolitan centres,” Sharon said.
“This visit to Maryborough was one of the first regional site visits by our board and provided a valuable opportunity to engage directly with local industry, education, and community leaders. The insights shared reinforced the key priorities outlined in the 2025 Manufacturing Workforce Plan and highlighted the importance of strong regional partnerships as we move into the implementation phase.”
“The government established Jobs and Skills Councils to provide industry with a stronger voice to ensure Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector delivers better outcomes for learners and employers. Hence regional perspectives are essential if we’re going to build a truly national manufacturing capability that leverages the unique strengths of communities like Maryborough.”
The two-day visit included a tour of the Manufacturing Skills Queensland Centre of Excellence, and discussions with manufacturing leaders and local schools about local training requirements and creating clearer pathways for students into manufacturing careers.
Chief Executive Officer of Manufacturing Skills Queensland Rebecca Andrews emphasised the importance of aligning educational and training outcomes with industry needs.
“Labour shortages and skills deficiencies are some of the biggest challenges impacting our manufacturers,” Rebecca said.
“The collaboration we’re seeing between manufacturers and schools in Maryborough provides a template for how regional communities can build sustainable manufacturing workforces,” said Rebecca.
A key focus of discussions was the progress of the planned Centre of Excellence in Maryborough, which will serve as a hub for innovation, training, and industry collaboration. The Centre is expected to be operational late 2025 with full training delivery rolling out in 2026.
“The Centre of Excellence represents a transformative investment in Maryborough’s manufacturing future, and it will make high quality training more accessible to manufactures.”
“The progress we’ve made in planning and securing support at federal and state level demonstrates the shared vision for manufacturing in our region.”
Sharon said the Manufacturing Alliance was excited by Manufacturing Skills Queensland’s proposed model for the Centre of Excellence.
“We see this centre of excellence as something that could be adapted for other manufacturing hubs across Australia, creating a network of excellence that strengthens our national manufacturing capabilities,” Sharon said.
The Manufacturing Alliance’s regional engagement program will continue throughout 2025-2026, with engagement planned across all Australian states and territories.
View photos from the regional visit here.
About the Manufacturing Alliance
The Manufacturing Alliance is an industry owned and led organisation committed to developing an empowered manufacturing workforce that drives the Australian economy.
As the Jobs and Skills Council for the manufacturing sector, Manufacturing Alliance want to ensure that the manufacturing industry can access workers with the skills needed to shape an innovative future made right here in Australia.
About Manufacturing Skills Queensland
Manufacturing Skills Queensland focuses on developing and implementing tailored training programs that address the specific needs of Queensland’s diverse manufacturing sector.
Contact Information
Manufacturing Alliance – Jana Perera, 04216464503
Manufacturing Skills Queensland – Quinn Sunderland, 0409 495 790