Education & Training
At a glance
Building the workforce behind Australia’s additive manufacturing future
- National workforce development program for additive manufacturing
- Focused on building skills, talent and industry capability
- Delivered through three core pillars:
- Postgraduate Scholarships
- Vocational Training
- Industry Micro-credentials
- Developed with industry, universities, TAFEs and training partners
Additive manufacturing is changing how products are designed, made and supplied — but real impact depends on people.
Australia needs a skilled additive manufacturing (AM) workforce: researchers, technicians, engineers, designers and manufacturing professionals who can develop, apply and scale AM in real industrial settings.
AMCRC’s Education & Training Program is designed to help build that workforce. By connecting industry, universities, TAFEs and training providers, we are creating practical pathways to develop the skills, talent and capability needed to grow a globally competitive AM ecosystem in Australia.
From postgraduate research to vocational training and targeted industry upskilling, the program focuses on one goal: ensuring Australia has the people and expertise to accelerate AM adoption at scale.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Why it matters
Australia’s AM opportunity will only be realised if industry can access the skills needed to adopt, apply and scale the technology.
That means building capability across the full workforce:
- researchers developing new AM processes and materials
- technicians operating equipment
- engineers and manufacturing teams identifying where AM can deliver commercial value
It also means attracting new talent into the sector and creating clearer pathways for people to build careers in AM.
AMCRC’s Education & Training Program responds to both priorities: strengthening current workforce capability while developing the pipeline of future talent needed to support the long-term growth of Australia’s AM ecosystem.
OUR APPROACH
Program focus
AMCRC’s Education & Training Program is industry-led, responding to the skills needs of Australian manufacturers and supporting the broader adoption of AM across the economy.
By aligning workforce development with research, real-world applications and emerging manufacturing priorities, the program will keep education and training relevant, responsive and focused on impact. Activities will centre on:
- Building AM capability and capacity across the manufacturing workforce
- Creating a connected national education and training ecosystem
- Developing a sustainable pipeline of AM talent, from students to experienced professionals
- Supporting industry-responsive training aligned to current and emerging needs
- Linking workforce development to AMCRC research themes and industry projects
- Broadening participation through diversity, inclusion and regional activation
TRAINING PATHWAYS
Program pillars
Postgraduate Scholarships
Developing the next generation of AM researchers and innovators
AMCRC’s postgraduate scholarships support high-calibre PhD and Masters students working on industry-led AM research.
Scholarship recipients will be embedded in collaborative R&D projects that solve real manufacturing challenges. The aim is to develop research capability in areas that matter to industry while strengthening the link between advanced research and commercial application.
By integrating postgraduate researchers into AMCRC projects, the program helps build national research capability, supports knowledge transfer and develops the future leaders of Australia’s AM sector.
Vocational Training
Building practical capability across the manufacturing workforce
A strong AM ecosystem depends on more than research excellence. It also requires technicians, operators and production teams with the practical skills to apply AM in industrial environments.
AMCRC’s vocational training activity will support the development of AM-specific training pathways in partnership with TAFEs and vocational education providers. These pathways are intended to build hands-on capability in areas such as AM processes, materials, machine operation, quality, post-processing and production workflows.
The focus is practical, industry-relevant training that helps manufacturers build confidence and capability as they adopt AM.
Industry Micro-credentials
Flexible training for a fast-moving manufacturing environment
For many businesses, AM adoption begins with capability building — understanding where the technology fits, what skills are required and how it can create value.
AMCRC’s industry micro-credentials will provide targeted, flexible learning opportunities for professionals looking to build AM knowledge and strengthen technical capability. Designed for industry, these short courses will support upskilling in areas such as AM fundamentals, design for AM, materials, applications and technology adoption.
The aim is to make AM capability more accessible, support continuous learning and help Australian manufacturers respond to new opportunities with greater confidence.