​​Stevedoring Workforce Analysis and Future Transformation Support​

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Transport and Logistics

​​Stevedoring Workforce Analysis and Future Transformation Support​

This project will support the stevedoring industry by examining how automation and emerging technologies are reshaping the workforce. It will identify changing skill requirements in Australia’s landside port operations, map transferable skills and transition pathways, and assess the suitability of current training products to ensure the VET system meets future industry needs.

Completion due 26 November 2027
About the project

Project overview

Australia’s stevedoring industry is undergoing rapid change as automation, digitisation, and advanced cargo‑handling technologies are increasingly deployed across port environments. These developments are reshaping how work is performed, reducing reliance on traditional manual labour and increasing the need for new technical and digital skills  

However, current nationally endorsed TLI stevedoring training products may no longer align with these evolving requirements. Low enrolments suggest a growing mismatch between existing training and industry needs. 

To address this, this project will examine how new and emerging technologies and automation are changing the skills required of stevedoring workers in Australian ports. 

Using the Technology Futures Taskforce (TFT) pilot methodology, it will combine AI‑driven analysis with expert industry input to validate findings in the Australian context.  

The project will also assess how existing stevedoring qualifications can better support modern operations, identify portable skills that enable transition into other high‑demand Transport Supply Chain roles, and highlight workforce pathways and training gaps to support these transitions. 

Why this matters

What it means for industry

This project will help ensure the stevedoring workforce and national skills system remain adaptable and future‑ready by: 

  • Identifying and validating new and emerging technologies and automation likely to impact stevedoring roles in Australian ports.  
  • Identifying career and associated learning pathways that could enable transition into other high-demand Transport Supply Chain Industry jobs. 
  • Improving understanding of how technological change affects stevedoring work and skills 
  • Identifying skill and training gaps to inform future nationally endorsed training products 

The findings may also inform a separate project to fast-track updates to the TLI Training Package, enabling stevedoring training that addresses changes in automation, technology, and contemporary operating environments.

Project

What will be delivered

  • Stevedoring Occupation Report
    A detailed analysis of the stevedoring occupation, outlining how new and emerging technologies are changing job roles, skills, knowledge requirements, and workforce impacts  
  • Occupational Pathways Mapping 
    Identification of stevedoring career pathways, including portable skills and knowledge that support movement into other high‑demand Transport Supply Chain roles 
  • Training Package Impact Analysis
    A review of current stevedoring qualifications and units of competency, identifying where technological change may require updates, informing a potential Phase 2 training package review. 
  • Technology Trend Radar Content
    Evidence-based data and insights on technology trends will be used to inform and update the Technology Trend Radar, which is being established in the TFT – Occupational Analysis. This will be an interactive, visual tool that tracks technology trends across occupations, helping users explore each technology in greater detail. It will support users understanding of the likely implications, timescales and impact of new and emerging technologies.  
  • Methodology Report
    A report detailing the approach used to analyse technology impacts, designed so the method can be applied consistently across other occupations and sectors in the future.