Mahlab roundtable to tackle reputation & growth

Mahlab will host a roundtable on reputation for leaders in engineering, manufacturing and construction. The discussion will examine how reputation affects growth in sectors linked to Australia's infrastructure build-out.

The session will bring together senior communications and public affairs executives as competition for technical labour intensifies across energy, infrastructure and data centres.

Pressure on skills is rising across several parts of the economy. Jobs and Skills Australia projects employment among technicians and trades workers will increase by 195,800 over the decade to 2035, while separate modelling estimates the country will need about 32,000 additional electricians by 2030.

Engineering shortages are also acute in local government. Public Skills Australia's latest Local Government Skills Audit found engineers were the occupation in shortest supply across local government, with 40.3 per cent of councils reporting engineering vacancies. That figure rose to 60.3 per cent among regional councils.

The data-centre sector is adding further demand. Deloitte Access Economics reported in late 2025 that its Investment Monitor was tracking more than AUD $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 fourfold over the previous 12 months.

In its report Empowering Australia's Digital Future, Mandala Partners projected 17,900 operational data-centre jobs by 2030, requiring 8,300 new workers on top of the sector's current 9,600 jobs.

Growth and trust

Against that backdrop, the roundtable will examine whether reputation is being treated as a business issue rather than solely a communications matter.

“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 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,” said Cara McLeod, Chief Executive, Mahlab.

The discussion will also cover how the standing of the broader sector affects the national delivery of major projects.

“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,” said Lily Carlyon, Head of Strategy, Mahlab.

Communications gap

Joe Ennis, who will facilitate the discussion, linked the issue to labour competition across adjacent technical fields.

“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,” said Ennis.

The roundtable will draw participants from engineering, manufacturing, construction and infrastructure. Topics include stakeholder trust, policy engagement, industrial transformation, public understanding and the challenge of explaining technical work in plain language.

The firm, which operates across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the Philippines, has positioned the session around the communications and reputational pressures facing industries tied to the energy transition, digital infrastructure and major capital works.