MSQ Expert Exhibition Hall
🚢 Manufacturing Skills Queensland (MSQ) — Shaping the Future of Manufacturing
Learn about why manufacturing matters | Explore manufacturing, smart technologies, and future-ready industry skills
Typical day: Picture yourself on a thrilling journey through the world of manufacturing, where every day brings new and exciting challenges. Depending on your job, your adventure might start with brainstorming the next game-changing smartphone, followed by taste-testing a protein shake for future Olympians… Or you could be operating high-tech machines to create breathtaking wedding dresses… Or maybe… you’re precision-welding spacecraft parts. Otherwise… you might find yourself fine-tuning a life-saving medical device… or helping make quality foods for families across the country. In manufacturing, you're not just making products – you're shaping the future in countless amazing ways, from tech and fashion to space exploration and medical breakthroughs, and so much more.
Skills Needed: Success in manufacturing requires a diverse skill set, but there are so many roles to choose from. You might peruse a technical job, where you would need knowledge of production systems and strong STEM skills (science, technology, engineering, maths). You might choose a job design a product, where problem-solving and critical thinking skills will help you solve complex challenges. Equally important are teamwork and communication skills, as you'll be working in a collaborative environment. Qualifications in this field range from vocational education and training certificates to university degrees, offering multiple pathways to enter and advance in the industry.
Tech of the Future: The manufacturing industry is evolving, blending cutting-edge technologies with time-honoured techniques. While smart factories implement interconnected systems and 3D printing creates customized products, traditional skills remain crucial. Skilled welders continue to join metals with precision, and fabricators shape raw materials into complex structures. Assembly lines, though modernised, still rely on human expertise for quality control and intricate tasks. Alongside robotics and artificial intelligence, you'll find artisans perfecting age-old techniques including textiles work, metalworking, jewellery making and much more. This fusion of new and traditional methods drives innovation in areas like eco-friendly packaging, advanced materials, and efficient production processes.
Exciting Projects: Picture yourself working on projects that sound like science fiction! You could be part of a team developing lab-grown meat to feed the world or creating biodegradable packaging for your favourite snacks. Maybe you'll help design clothes that change colour with your mood or invent a way to 3D print entire houses. From transport that's out of this world to fashion that's ahead of its time, the projects in manufacturing are as diverse as your imagination!
Your Pathway: Ready to dive into this world of endless possibilities? Start by exploring different areas of manufacturing that excite you - it could be transport and equipment, general manufacturing, food, fashion, renewables, or anything else that's made! Consider subjects at school like [ONE TWO THREE] or look for work experience to get a taste of different industries. Visit manufacturingmatters.com.au to learn about the different occupations and learning journeys in manufacturing.
Then & Now
🔙Then: In the past, manufacturing jobs were often limited to repetitive manual labour on noisy factory floors, offering little room for creativity or advancement. The industry was perceived as stagnant, with workers confined to monotonous tasks and few opportunities for professional growth. Jobs were very gendered, limiting women’s participation in the workforce.
🔜Now: Today's manufacturing offers diverse, and sometimes high-tech careers. Dynamic work environments foster innovation, with much greater opportunities for women. From design, to making, to maintain, supporting, doing and leading – women are making products that are changing the world.
