The MCA unveiled the new campaign yesterday to promote career opportunities and meet severe skills shortages in the minerals industry.

The campaign is targeting skilled tradespeople in Geelong, Adelaide and Wollongong as the rapidly expanding industry seeks to recruit an additional 27,000 tradespeople estimated to be needed in the minerals industry by 2015.

Set up as a pilot, the campaign is part of the MCA's broader national strategy to promote career opportunities in the minerals industry and meet the estimated 70,000 additional workers needed in the industry by 2015.

"We are not only offering well-paid jobs, we are offering exciting career prospects," MCA chief executive Mitchell Hooke said.

"The minerals industry is at present experiencing double the wages growth of the all-industry average and has the most substantial on-the-job training expenditure per employee of any industry."

Specific tradespeople identified by MCA member companies as most in demand include boilermakers/welders; metal fitters - mechanical, diesel and plant; mechanical engineering - diesel, heavy and light plant; and electrical trades.

The "Now Hiring" campaign includes advertising for skilled tradespeople through radio, newspaper and billboard promotions in Geelong, Adelaide and Wollongong and follows national career expo presentations by the MCA throughout Australia.