Training & Education
Apprenticeship training and short courses in composite moulding and fabrication skills are available in most mainland capital cities. Training is carried out on campus in well-equipped training workshops operated by TAFE and PARTEC colleges or at manufacturers’ premises.
Through the efforts of Composites Australia, composites industry apprenticeship schemes are progressively being introduced, and are now available in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.
Within the Australian Qualification framework (AQF), the training packages for skills in composites include the following. The qualifications share common units and thus are often delivered in parallel:
• MEM31119 Certificate III in Engineering – Composites Trade
• MEM30719 Certificate III in Marine Craft Construction
• PMB Plastics, Rubber and Cablemaking Training Package (Cert II, III, IV, Diploma & Advanced Dip)
Increasingly universities are including composite materials in their undergraduate engineering and architecture courses. See Undergraduate Courses for examples of courses available.
Information for employers on government-supported apprenticeship training programs
A skilled workforce is essential today. Each state has information and services to assist businesses employing or considering employing apprentices. These links provide access to the website of the relevant state government agency:
NSW Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia
Institutes offering composites training
- Note: courses on offer are subject to change. Please contact the training organisation direct to confirm course availability.
Queensland
PARTEC Institute and the Composites Training Centre at Mt. Gravatt and Townsville offers apprenticeship training plus a range of part-time courses.
The Composites Technician (Level 3) apprenticeship course is a 3 year indenture to trade qualification and is the pre-requisite for the Level 4 Technician Apprenticeship, post trade.More information…
Short courses can cover subjects such as Hand Lay-Up techniques, Mould Preparation & Gelcoating; Plug/Pattern & Mould Making; Vacuum-Bagging Techniques, Resin Infusion Processes. More information …
For further information, visit the PARTEC website, www.partec.qld.edu.au , or telephone (07) 3849 7878 (Brisbane).
South Australia
No relevant courses offered by TAFE SA (as at October 2020)
Tasmania & Northern Territory
The Tasmanian and Northern Territory governments have arrangements in place to have Composites Technician training provided by Partec either by sending apprentices to Brisbane for block training modules, or on-the-job, if sufficient numbers.
For further information, visit the PARTEC website, www.partec.qld.edu.au , or telephone (07) 3849 7878 (Brisbane).
Victoria
Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE (GOTAFE) offers Certificate III in Engineering -Composites Trade both on campus and at manufacturing sites in regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne.
Download the information sheet here…
GOTAFE delivers the Surf Craft Manufacturing Apprenticeship training course in NSW and Victoria. Download the Expression of Interest flyer here …
For more information contact:
Brett Ambrosio
T: 045 398 143
E: bambrosio[at]gotafe.vic.edu.au
Western Australia
South Metropolitan TAFE offers Certificate III in Engineering – Composites Trade and Certificate III in Marine Craft Construction at its Henderson Campus. More information …
Undergraduate courses
Increasingly clients and engineers are specifying composite materials to take advantage of the benefits they offer projects. Recognising this trend, Australian universities are offering undergraduates courses that incorporate composite materials engineering and design. Examples are listed below. Note details are current at October 2017 but may change. Refer to the university handbooks for the most current course and contact details.
ANU – Research School of Engineering: Composite Materials (ENGN4511). Details on the university website at this link …
Monash University – Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: Composite Structures MEC4446. Details on the university website at this link …
Monash University – Department of Materials Science and Engineering: Polymer and Composite Processing and Engineering. Details on the university website at this link …
University of NSW – School of Materials Science and Engineering: Undergraduate course in material sciences and engineering. Details on the university website sat this link ….
University of Southern Queensland: Online course on the Mechanics and Technology of Fibre Composites. Details on the university website at this link …
University of Queensland – School of Engineering: Dual major offered in Mechanical and Materials Engineering. Also within civil engineering the course: Design of Composite Structures (CIVL7350). Details on the university website at this link …
The University of Melbourne – School of Engineering: Offers a Master of Engineering (Materials) and the undergraduate course Engineering Materials (ENGR20003).