Whyalla is a city built on steel, but its future won’t be forged solely in metal. As the region navigates economic uncertainty and industrial transition, the focus must shift towards building a workforce that is adaptable, skilled, and ready for anything.
The recent decision to halt development of the hydrogen plant has created a pause opportunity. A powerful opportunity to rethink workforce needs, embrace practical innovation, and support a thriving community of businesses, jobseekers, and changemakers.
Strategic Shifts: What’s Emerging in Whyalla?
With significant public funding (state and federal) and a strong commitment to future industry, Whyalla remains a key regional centre for transformation. The South Australian and Australian governments have backed this potential through funding, training initiatives, and dedicated hubs such as the Whyalla Jobs and Skills Hub.
Here’s what we’re seeing in terms of trends:
- A call for re-skilling and upskilling across trades, care sectors, and digital roles
- Emerging demand in renewables, construction, and defence-adjacent industries
- A growing need for micro and small business capability to support the local supply chain
- Opportunities in tourism, retail, and service sectors as the city diversifies
With small business support now squarely in the spotlight, and a renewed push for locally driven economic development, the focus must be on practical, business and person-centred strategies that deliver real outcomes.
The Case for Innovation: Skills Beyond the Obvious
It’s not about traditional training. We need creative approaches that reflect modern needs and realities. That might include:
- Pop-up training hubs in partnership with TAFEs, RTOs, and local employers
- Career redesign programs for people transitioning from heavy industry to other sectors
- Confidence-building workshops for those returning to work or entering new roles
- Micro-credentials in areas like AI literacy, digital marketing, and entrepreneurial mindset
- Mentoring and coaching support—particularly for women, First Nations people, people with disabilities and young adults
- Local startup incubation focused on innovation and solving community challenges
And we need to design for flexibility—on-ramps and off-ramps, hybrid delivery, stackable qualifications, and hands-on coaching that meets people where they are.
What Role Can We Play?
At Workforce BluePrint and Career BluePrint, we bring deep experience in designing future-ready programs that work in real-world, regional settings. From running innovation hubs in the Upper Spencer Gulf, to launching tech-based mentoring pilots, to building capability in microbusinesses—our team knows how to co-create practical solutions with community, industry, and government.
That’s why we’re putting our hand up to collaborate on applications to the Regional and Industry Partnerships Program for Whyalla.
Got an Idea? Let’s Work Together.
We’re inviting expressions of interest to team up on proposals that:
- Support workforce development in the Whyalla and USG region
- Help small and medium enterprises attract and retain talent
- Address underemployment and disengagement
- Bring fresh thinking to career pathways and lifelong learning
Let’s create practical pathways for:
✅ School leavers and early career workers
✅ People who’ve lost jobs or want to transition industries
✅ Business owners looking to grow or diversify
✅ Communities that have been left out or left behind
Let’s Design What Comes Next
If you’ve got a challenge you’d like to solve or an idea you’d like to explore, we want to hear from you.
📩 Contact us via Career BluePrint or Workforce BluePrint to discuss how we can shape a collaborative application.
Together, we can future-proof Whyalla’s and the USG’s workforce and support meaningful, inclusive growth—powered by people, and creativity.