• Strategic communications consultancy Mahlab is hosting a roundtable on 14 October for senior communications and public affairs leaders to explore how reputation can drive growth, stakeholder trust, policy influence and talent attraction in engineering, manufacturing and construction.
• Australia faces significant skills shortages in technical sectors, with Jobs and Skills Australia projecting growth of 195,800 technician and trades roles by 2035, a need for 32,000 additional electricians by 2030, and engineering vacancies reported by 40.3 per cent of councils.
• A booming data-centre sector, with over $37 billion in tracked projects and a four-fold increase in value over 12 months,is intensifying competition for scarce technical talent, with 8,300 new workers needed by 2030.
• Mahlab Chief Executive Cara McLeod says that engineering, manufacturing and construction industries are poorly served by their public narrative, limiting their ability to attract talent, secure investment and influence government policy.
• The roundtable will examine how organisations can translate complex technical work into compelling stories, bridge the gap between corporate ambition and technical detail, and leverage both individual and collective reputation to support Australia's infrastructure and energy transition goals.

As Australia races to build the infrastructure needed for the energy transition, AI and a rapidly expanding data-centre sector, strategic communications consultancy Mahlab is bringing together senior communications and public affairs leaders to examine the impact reputation has on growth.

On Wednesday 14 October, Mahlab will host a roundtable exploring how engineering, manufacturing and construction organisations can use reputation to strengthen stakeholder trust, influence policy, attract scarce talent and create competitive advantage.

The discussion comes as competition intensifies for the people needed to deliver Australia’s next generation of infrastructure.

Jobs and Skills Australia projects employment among technicians and trades workers will grow by 195,800 over the decade to 2035, while modelling has estimated Australia will need around 32,000 additional electricians by 2030.

Engineering capability is under similar pressure with the latest Local Government Skills Audit by Public Skills Australia showing engineers are the occupation most in shortage across local government, with 40.3 percent of councils reporting engineering vacancies, rising to 60.3 percent of regional councils.

At the same time, the data-centre boom is adding another source of demand for scarce technical skills. Deloitte Access Economics reported in late 2025 that its Investment Monitor was tracking more than $37 billion in Australian data-centre projects, up 60 per cent in a year. By August 2026, the value of data-centre projects in its database had increased four-fold over the preceding 12 months. Mandala Partners’ Empowering Australia's Digital Future reports  projects 17,900 operational data centre jobs by 2030, requiring 8300 new workers on top of the current 9600 data centre jobs.

Mahlab Chief Executive Cara McLeod said the roundtable would challenge industry leaders to think about reputation as a critical business asset and growth lever, rather than solely a communications outcome.

“Engineering, manufacturing and construction are the backbone of modern life. These industries power our cities, build our infrastructure, and keep supply chains running, yet their impact is rarely told as a story people can connect with.

“That gap can limit the industry's ability to influence government, secure funding, attract talent and win new work.  That’s why we're bringing together senior strategic communications and public affairs leaders together for a robust discussion on how reputation can be a powerful lever for growth, trust and long-term relevance.

“The success of some of the most transformational projects of this generation depends on attracting talent, securing investment, influencing policy and earning trust and reputation underpins all four. Organisations that can make their contribution understood by government, communities, customers and the next generation of talent put themselves in a stronger position to grow.” McLeod said.

Mahlab Head of Strategy Lily Carlyon said the roundtable would also explore how the sector's collective reputation will shape Australia's ability to deliver on its growth ambitions.

"Reputation is not just built by individual organisations. Engineering, manufacturing and construction share a collective reputation, and it will play a significant role in whether Australia can deliver the energy transition, the data-centre build-out and the infrastructure the country needs.” Carlyon said.

The roundtable will be facilitated by Joe Ennis, Content Lead at Mahlab and Managing Editor of create, who says that the communications challenge for technical industries is not simply generating visibility, but maintaining a strong reputation. 

“Building and operating the infrastructure needed to move Australia forward requires many of the same skills already in demand: engineering, project management, logistics. It’s critical that we attract people into these industries and for that to happen, we need to ensure they have a strong reputation.

“There is a ‘missing middle’ between high-level corporate ambition and highly technical detail – the point at which organisations explain why their work matters to the people they need to influence.

“We have an opportunity as communicators to bridge that gap. We need to translate complexity without diminishing it and connect technical achievement with the outcomes that matter to government, industry and communities,” Ennis said.

The roundtable will bring together perspectives from across engineering, manufacturing, construction and infrastructure.

The roundtable will examine the role of reputation in building stakeholder trust and competitive advantage; how communications can support policy engagement and industrial transformation; the power of storytelling to influence public understanding; and how organisations can translate complex technical subjects into clear, compelling narratives.

The event will operate under Chatham House Rule, enabling a candid discussion about the reputational and communications challenges facing industries critical to Australia’s future.

ENDS

About Mahlab

Mahlab is a strategic communications agency, with almost 30 years’ experience in telling complex stories that create real and positive impact for people and business. We transform questions into powerful business strategies. We take stories and weave them into influential communications. It’s these strategies and stories that create real and positive impact. Our team of 50 is located across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the Philippines allowing us to deliver giving us the reach and capability to deliver impact across global markets.

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