PWR Advanced Cooling Technology, a global leader in motorsport cooling solutions for nearly 30 years, has partnered with Major Training Group (RTO 6139) to build Queensland’s next generation of advanced manufacturing talent.
The partnership establishes a structured, end-to-end talent pathway that begins while students are still completing their final years of high school.
The collaboration creates a continuous pipeline beginning with school-based learners completing pre-apprenticeship pathway programs, including MEM20422 – Certificate II in Engineering Pathways, providing a strong technical foundation before entering the workforce.
Upon completion of the pre-apprenticeship pathway, learners transition directly into four-year apprenticeships with PWR under Major Training’s Third Party Training arrangement, undertaking either MEM30219 – Certificate III in Engineering (Mechanical Trade – Fitting/Machining) or MEM31925 – Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication Trade – Sheetmetal Working).
Looking further ahead, the partnership will also explore upskilling programs for PWR’s existing workforce, ensuring ongoing capability development across the business.
Major Training CEO Corey Bowles said the partnership will guide students from industry-recognised vocational qualifications through to full apprenticeships within PWR’s precision manufacturing environment.
“PWR is exactly the kind of employer Major Training wants to be building workforce solutions for.
“They operate at the highest level of precision manufacturing in the world and that demands a different kind of training partnership, one that goes well beyond paperwork and compliance,” Mr Bowles said.
Training is delivered continuously throughout the four-year apprenticeship via a blended model, combining classroom theory, simulated practical training, and direct on-the-job learning and assessment at PWR’s facility.
Major Training’s trainers work alongside PWR’s own team, ensuring learners are immersed in the real manufacturing environment from day one.
Mr Bowles said this approach strengthens team bonds from the earliest stages of a learner’s career and ensures that qualifications are built around PWR’s actual technical and cultural requirements, not generic curriculum outcomes.
“By combining PWR’s industry leadership and innovation capability with Major Training’s expertise in workforce development and apprenticeship delivery, the partnership creates a robust framework for long-term skills growth and organisational capability,” he said.
Mr Bowles said many training providers deliver standardised programs to large, anonymous cohorts, while Major Training builds tailored solutions around the employer.
“This initiative reinforces PWR’s commitment to investing in people and maintaining its position at the forefront of advanced manufacturing — and reflects Major Training’s ongoing mission to connect industry-leading employers with the skilled workforce they need to grow,” the Major Training CEO said.
The partnership develops a sustainable talent pipeline tailored to PWR’s operational environment. Training is hands-on and aligned to PWR’s manufacturing standards. Structured onboarding ensures learners are industry-ready from day one.
PWR MD/CEO Sharyn Williams says the partnership is as much about people as it is about technology.
“The future of advanced manufacturing will be defined by the capability of our people as much as the technologies we develop.
“This partnership represents a strategic investment in that future — building a pipeline of talent equipped not only for today’s challenges, but for the industries and innovations of tomorrow.
“By working with Major Training, we are shaping a workforce that will drive progress, accelerate innovation, and strengthen our global competitiveness,” she said.
Together, PWR and Major Training bring the right mix of industry expertise and training know-how to grow skills, build capability, and keep Queensland manufacturing competitive.
For PWR Advanced Cooling Technology, it’s a commitment to putting people at the heart of the business.
For Major Training, it’s about connecting great employers and nurturing the talent they need to thrive.
