Skills Gap Analysis

Industry Skills Australia (ISA) has released its Space Transport and Logistics (ST&L) Skills Gap Analysis Report, a landmark study examining the skills required to support space transport in Australia’s space transport and logistics (T&L) sector.

Industry Skills Australia commissioned this study to identify the skills needed to support Transport and Logistics (T&L) functions within Australia’s expanding space industry. Through interviews and focus groups with space organisations, T&L professionals and university leaders, the project examined current challenges and opportunities across both VET and higher education. Analysis of industry feedback and VET Training Packages revealed significant skills gaps in Space Transport & Logistics. The research, supported by a national scan of over 500 organisations and 56 universities, produced recommendations to strengthen training pathways and better prepare Australia’s future space workforce.

The report finds that while existing VET and university programs cover some adjacent logistics skills, they do not address the specialised requirements of Space Transport and Logistics. Industry feedback shows that organisations largely rely on in-house training or outsourcing their operations, revealing substantial gaps in both training relevance and workforce readiness. The study concludes that contextualised units, targeted new training products, and a dedicated ST&L skill set are essential to meet industry demand and build a consistent, future‑ready space logistics workforce.

Critical gaps were identified in areas such as:

• Procurement and supply chain coordination
• Inventory maintenance
• Warehouse management
• Transportation
• Returns, repairs and recycling 

To address these gaps, ISA recommends:

• Implementing a series of changes that can be applied to VET products to better support the skills needs of the Australian space industry
• Developing an ST&L skill set to group together in demand skills and knowledge.
• Developing a new qualification for the space industry
• Implementing the student pathways enhancement strategies to facilitate vocational pathways to Higher Education

ISA is now reviewing these recommendations and exploring the potential of developing new training products, including specialised Skill Sets, Units of Competency or even a space-specific qualification. This work will help future-proof the sector and support businesses in delivering efficient, connected, and customer-focused operations.