OPITO Launches New Report on Workforce Mobility Across Asia Pacific

Over two-thirds of APAC energy and mining employers require extra training or checks for cross-sector workers, OPITO finds

• Amidst growing energy system integration, a survey of 390 energy and mining workers and employers finds that appetite and aptitude to work across sectors is not matched by confidence that skills can travel
• 76% of employers are confident that workers and contractors can safely work in hazardous environments, yet among workers unlikely to move into an adjacent safety-critical sector, 59% cite uncertainty over whether their training would be recognised as a barrier
• 61% of workers say greater trust and confidence in workforce competence would lead to safer working practices, 59% of employers say this would improve confidence in project delivery

OPITO, the global skills authority for safety-critical industries, today launches One Safety Vision, its inaugural report on knowledge and skills transfer across APAC’s safety-critical energy and mining sectors. The survey reveals that over two-thirds of employers surveyed require additional training, certification or assessment before accepting workers from adjacent safety-critical sectors. It also finds that gaps in recognition of skills are hindering talent transfer with 57% of respondents saying that trust breaks down when working across sectors, projects, employers or geographies because training or certification is not recognised. This is despite 76% of employers across sectors expressing confidence that workers and contractors already have the right training, skills and behaviours to work safely in hazardous environments.

APAC’s world-leading energy transition is seeing growing convergence between workforces such as in renewables and oil and gas, with almost 800 low-carbon and renewable hydrogen projects and 71 carbon capture and storage projects in the region. The survey confirms growing appetite for cross-sector talent transfer, with 53% of employers likely to consider using workers from adjacent safety-critical sectors if it becomes harder to find skills and the same proportion of workers willing to consider working in other safety-critical sectors. Yet this is not matched by confidence that skills can travel. Among workers who say they are unlikely to move into an adjacent safety-critical sector, 59% cite uncertainty over whether their training would be recognised as one of the main reasons. 

Lack of mutual trust in skills and competencies also affects workforce safety, with 61% of workers saying that greater trust and confidence in workforce competence would lead to safer working practices. Among employers, 59% say greater confidence in workforce skills would also improve confidence in project delivery, while almost half say it could reduce delays or downtime.

The report indicates that more interoperable skills standards could help address the trust gap. Across APAC, 61% of respondents say globally aligned training and standards are the most effective way to support confidence in a workforce where people can move more easily between sectors, employers, projects and geographies. A further 55% cite clearer recognition of existing certifications.

Stephen Marcos Jones, CEO at OPITO, commented: “As sectors like renewables and oil and gas converge around tomorrow’s integrated energy systems, there is an opportunity for a mutual exchange of knowledge and skills for the benefit of all. Yet workers need to know that their experience will be recognised when they work across countries or industries, and employers need confidence that safety standards will be consistent across more diverse workforces. 

“Our goal is to work with industry partners to develop a shared language of safety, so skills can travel more widely. While 61% of respondents across APAC identify globally aligned training and safety standards as key to building trust in a more mobile workforce, here in Malaysia, that rises to 74% - giving us a clear focus for the discussions at OPITO Global in Kuala Lumpur.”

One Safety Vision draws on a survey of 390 workers and employers across energy and mining in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The report calls for industries to collaborate to map out overlapping skills and competencies, while retaining training requirements specific to each working environment. It argues that a more consistent understanding of shared skills could widen career choices, help employers deploy workers across projects, portfolios, roles and regions, and make it easier to share knowledge across sectors.

Further key findings include:

• Over a third of workers report having repeated training, certification or assessment for roles where they already had relevant experience when moving between sectors, employers, projects or regions.
• Among workers open to or neutral about moving into adjacent safety-critical sector, 60% say evidence that their experience would be valued would give them the confidence to make the move.
• Among employers/operators open to hiring or deploying workers from adjacent sectors, 54% say practical competence assessments would give them confidence to do so.
• All markets identify globally aligned training and safety standards as key to building trust in a workforce system where people can transition between sectors, employers, projects and geographies.
  • 54% of respondents in both Australia and Indonesia identify this as key, 74% in Malaysia and 68% in Vietnam.

One Safety Vision is being launched at OPITO Global, OPITO’s annual industry leadership forum focused on safety, skills and competence across safety-critical sectors. Returning to Kuala Lumpur between 13–14 October 2026, the event brings together leaders from energy, mining and major industrials to discuss the future of workforce safety.