Australia looks to close manufacturing skills gap

The manufacturing skills gap that has been noted around the world has worried many businesses, who fear they'll no longer be able to find tradesmen with the necessary experience for many jobs.

However, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently announced a plan to spend $35.6 million and make training in advanced manufacturing more accessible to nearly 700 workers. The bulk of the training will focus on more advanced technologies that have emerged in the past decade.

Rudd called the manufacturing sectors that rely on these technologies the "new industries of the future."

"I've always said before I never want to be the prime minister of a country that doesn't make things any more," he recently stated from the campaign trail.

Having a firm grasp of the tools that make construction and manufacturing possible is essential for anyone looking to find a job in the skilled trades. Demand has soared for welding jobs, for example, which require advanced knowledge and often years of experience handling related equipment.

The $35 million was included in the recently released federal budget, which heavily focused on construction and infrastructure.