Australia is in the midst of a once-in-a-generation infrastructure boom.

With megaprojects like the Torrens to Darlington (T2D) tunnels in Adelaide, the Sydney Metro, North East Link and Inland Rail all forging ahead, demand for civil precast concrete has skyrocketed. These projects rely on thousands of precast elements, including bridge beams, tunnel segments, barriers, platforms and culverts. These are being manufactured to tight tolerances, under pressure, and often on tight timelines.

In response, along with supply from local precast manufacturers, we are seeing an increasing number of project-based precast yards being set up across the country. This localises production and supports just-in-time delivery. However, it also places enormous pressure on the industry to draw on a skilled, safe and compliant workforce.

And right now, while that workforce exists in established precast facilities, it does not exist at a scale that is required to supply these projects.

It is a challenge that is only intensifying. The 2025–26 Federal Budget reaffirmed Australia’s $120 billion, decade-long infrastructure pipeline. It is a welcome investment, but one that now runs headfirst into serious labour shortages. Many projects are already facing delays, not because of planning failures, but because we lack the trained people to deliver them. Bridging this workforce capability gap is no longer optional. It is essential to unlocking the full value of that investment.

A Precast-Centric Workforce – Precast-Specific Training Now Available

Despite the growing reliance on precast, there’s been a gaping hole in Australia’s training landscape. This is that there is currently no national training specifically designed for the people who manufacture and work with precast.

Workers with little or no experience are entering precast factories and project yards daily.  Many come from civil, formwork, or general labouring backgrounds. However, without precast-specific training, this can lead to gaps in understanding, non-conformance, safety incidents and ultimately, a lower return on investment in precast.

At the same time, the Federal Government is streamlining visa approvals for infrastructure-critical roles. This means that  more overseas workers will be arriving on site.

However, even experienced workers from abroad need to be inducted into our system and to learn about Australian Standards, Codes of Practice, quality management regimes and the precise specifications of each project.

Without structured, consistent training, the reliance is on variable on-the-job guidance that leaves too much to chance. The new micro-credentials offer a fast, scalable way to bring all workers – both local and international – up to speed with what’s required.

Industry-Developed Micro-Credentials

For the first time in Australia, there is now an industry-endorsed training pathway specifically addressing this segment of the construction supply chain. To help close the capability gap, National Precast has launched a suite of micro-credentials. These are short, stackable, online training modules that focus on exactly what precast workers need to know. They have been developed in collaboration with industry and are designed for real-world application on the factory floor or in project-based yards.

The ten-module program covers all aspects of working safely and effectively in the precast industry, from foundational knowledge to specialised technical skills. Topics range from understanding industry standards and documentation through to safety and quality management, interpreting plans and shop drawings, reinforcement and cage assembly, mould setup, casting, curing, finishing, demoulding, patching, lifting and transport. One module is dedicated entirely to prestressed precast.

Although primarily targeted at workers, the micro-credentials also support supervisors, quality teams, project managers, and installers who need to better understand how precast fits into broader project outcomes and who want to strengthen safety, compliance, and productivity on site.

Completion of all ten modules leads to the nationally industry-recognised Certificate: Fundamentals of Precast Concrete.

Mitigating Risk on Big Projects

These micro-credentials aren’t just a ‘nice to have’. They serve as an important tool in mitigating risk.

On projects like T2D, Suburban Rail Loop, or Sydney Metro, thousands of critical structural elements are being manufactured on-site and there is no margin for error. Every misplaced starter bar or insufficiently cured panel has potentially serious safety consequences and could cause costly delays and structural issues.

Requiring this training for all personnel involved in precast would help to ensure consistent quality, improved compliance and a more capable workforce. This includes everyone from factory workers and lifting crews to assembly teams and project staff. Such a requirement would also enable overseas workers to be effectively and efficiently inducted into local expectations and standards.

Increasingly, the legislative environment is reinforcing this need. With industrial manslaughter laws now in effect in several states, project leaders have a legal responsibility to ensure their workers are properly trained and protected. Investing in formal precast training is not only best practice. It is a safeguard against the worst-case scenario.

Importantly, the development of these micro-credentials has been supported and funded by the Queensland Government. As a result, Queensland-based workers can access the training free of charge until 30 June 2026. For those outside Queensland, a small enrolment fee applies. This makes the training an accessible and cost-effective solution nationwide.

What Needs to Happen Next

Tier 1 contractors, government procurement authorities, and infrastructure clients must act now by formally recognising National Precast’s micro-credentials in their project training requirements. Whether for temporary yards or permanent factories, this training should become the new standard.

At present, we are placing unrealistic expectations on an underprepared workforce. And when so many of Australia’s flagship infrastructure projects depend on the quality and reliability of precast, that is a risk the industry can no longer afford to take.

By Sarah Bachmann, CEO, National Precast Concrete Association Australia

Sarah Bachmann is CEO of the National Precast Concrete Association Australia. She has championed construction quality, innovation and industry capability for more than two decades.