As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the workforce, many young Australians are pivoting away from traditional white-collar careers in favour of skilled trades. This growing trend, coined the “AIxiety Pivot”, is largely driven by concerns over job security, the cost of education and a desire for more control over career paths. According to a Zety report, … Continue reading AI-ronic skills shortage hope
Australia’s automotive sector is receiving unprecedented support through new training programs, funding boosts and innovative apprenticeship models as governments and industry bodies work to address critical skills shortages across the trade sector. The push includes everything from electric vehicle maintenance courses to agricultural machinery training, with significant financial backing aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures while … Continue reading Trade workforce gets expanded support, training and recognition
Australia’s automotive industry has launched a national code of conduct for calibrating advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), providing clear guidance for repairers working on critical safety features that will be present in 43 per cent of vehicles by 2030. The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association unveiled the ADAS Industry Code of Conduct at the Autocare 2025 … Continue reading ADAS code of conduct published
Australia’s pioneering Right to Repair law is under formal review three years after implementation, with industry leaders pushing the federal government to strengthen the scheme and unlock its untapped economic potential. Introduced in July 2022, the Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme gave independent automotive repairers access to critical manufacturer data so that … Continue reading Right to Repair under review
The automotive service sector’s skills shortage has reached crisis point, with apprenticeship numbers plummeting 25 per cent last year – and it’s affecting everyone from main dealers to independent workshops. Encouragingly, industry leaders are publicly acknowledging that this isn’t a problem any single sector can solve alone. During a panel session at this year’s Autocare … Continue reading Skills crisis hits breaking point: Industry leaders finally talk collaboration
VASA member GB Auto has switched 20 vehicles to electric F-150 Lightnings, the first major deployment of locally converted electric utes in Australia. The fully electric utility vehicles have been remanufactured to right-hand drive by Advanced Manufacturing Queensland (AMQ), part of the Australian-owned Bosscap Group, at its 8000-square-metre facility in Brendale, north of Brisbane. Bosscap … Continue reading GB Auto’s fleet of beaut electric utes
By Refrigerants Australia executive director Dr Greg Picker To prevent emissions of R134a, and its predecessors, in 2005 the federal government made it a requirement for all technicians who worked on vehicle air-conditioners to be competent to do so, and have this status reflected in a license. Anyone who did not have the license was … Continue reading Licensing for car air-conditioning approaching a cross-road?
China’s HFC emissions now represent more than 20 per cent of the global total, with research showing a 30-fold increase since 2005 that threatens international climate goals. A study published in Environmental Science & Technology found that combined emissions of three major HFCs reached 206.4 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2022, roughly equal to … Continue reading China’s HFC emissions exceed 20 per cent of global total
Koura has launched Klea Edge 444A across the UK and Europe and positioned it as a direct aftermarket replacement for R-1234yf in automotive air-conditioning systems. The new refrigerant is claimed to offer enhanced vehicle performance and reduced environmental impact at a lower cost than current alternatives but has a higher global warming potential than the … Continue reading Just because you can… Koura publishes retrofit guides
A shift towards electrification in the world of heavy machinery is not only underway but accelerating with the introduction of electric platforms like Dannar’s MPS and Case’s 580EV electric backhoe loader emerging with the potential to reshape the landscape of off-highway and construction machinery. Beyond the obvious emissions reductions, developments in this industry promise to increase … Continue reading The future of machinery: Modular and electrified
