Cars are assembled from hundreds of components - large and small - from windscreens, door seals, mudflaps and headlights to dashboards, sunvisors and mirrors. Cars today also increasingly require sophisticated electronic components including computers, airbags, GPS navigations systems, and even 'smart' seats that automatically recall adjustment settings for different drivers.

All of these components are made from materials such as plastics, rubber, glass, leather, textiles, paint, sealants and a range of metals including steel and aluminium.

There are over 200 specialist automotive component-manufacturing firms in Australia with a strong body of expertise in a wide range of technologies and materials. The industry directly employs more than 30,000 people and the range of occupations is extremely broad.

This is a diverse and globally competitive sector to work in. There are plenty of challenging opportunities for Sheetmetal workers, Patternmakers and Moulders and for many other trades too. The skills you gain in this area are easily transferred to Cast Metals, Light Metals and Vehicle Manufacture.