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Re-Drilling the Skills Pipeline: National Qualifications Enter 18 Month Review

13 February, 2026

Australia’s drilling sector is about to undergo its most comprehensive training review in more than a decade. The Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA) has formally commenced an 18-month Review of Drilling Operations Qualifications under the RII Training Package. This isn’t a cosmetic update. It’s a fundamental reset. At the centre of the review are the core qualifications that underpin workforce development across exploration, mining, waterwell, geotechnical and specialist drilling:

  • Certificate II in Drilling Operations
  • Certificate III in Drilling Operations
  • Certificate IV in Drilling Operations
  • Diploma of Drilling Operations
  • Advanced Diploma of Drilling Management

And the objective is clear: To ensure nationally recognised qualifications genuinely reflect modern drilling practice, emerging technologies, regulatory settings and future workforce needs.

As Australian Drilling Industry Association (ADIA) President Tim Westcott puts it: “This review is about getting the fundamentals right — ensuring people are qualified to the national standards, just as they would be in any other trade.”

For too long, training has often been treated as compliance. This review aims to shift the focus to capability. That includes:

  • Aligning licensing with demonstrated competence
  • Simplifying pathways across disciplines
  • Reflecting supervisory and governance expectations
  • Ensuring consistency across the country
  • Supporting waterwell and specialist drilling needs
  • Reducing ambiguity for regulators and employers

From well control and blowout prevention to reverse circulation, sonic, mud rotary, horizontal directional drilling and environmental drilling — the scope reflects the diversity of modern operations. If drilling is to be recognised as essential infrastructure, then the skills framework must match that expectation. This review isn’t about adding complexity. It’s about ensuring Australia’s drilling workforce remains safe, professional and fit-for-purpose in an increasingly demanding environment.

The future of drilling isn’t just about technology. It’s about the capability of the people operating it.

Read the full article in the Australasian Drilling Magazine