Robots make excellent welders. They're fast, accurate and can perform the same weld cycle for hours on end without a meal, toilet stop or break to chat to another robot along the line.

So why haven't most boilermakers been replaced by machines?

"You still need someone to set it up, who understands the basics of welding," said Jim Walker, chairman of WA's State Training Board.

"They'll do long weld runs which are repeatable. But you still need the boilermaker there to understand how to set it up".

While those within the training and trade industries understand how automation is being integrated in the workforce, Mr Walker agrees the general public — and particularly students — are less informed.

"I think that is the education that is required, not just in high schools but starting that off even in the later years of primary school," he said.

Most boiler makers have not been replaced by automatons. ( ABC News: Elicia Kennedy )

Automation 'is really misunderstood'

Those in the recruitment industry believe a fear of automation is having a significant impact on job choices and contributing to a skills shortage in WA.

"Automation as a whole is really misunderstood," according to Chris Kent from Hays Recruiting.

"There's been some scary reports about what jobs will be automated but the reality is it's tasks that are automated.

"There are very few jobs that are automated, very few jobs are fully automatable."

Heavy mobile maintenance workers, truck operators, drillers and boilermakers are just a few of the trades currently in high demand.

Chris Kent says very few jobs are fully automated. ( ABC News: Elicia Kennedy )

Mr Kent said younger workers appeared to view manual jobs as occupations with a limited future.

However the reality is many sectors do not have the capacity to automate.

"In WA there is only three or four companies that are in a position to automate … that is the big iron ore miners," he said.

"But some of the gold miners and lithium mines, with the life of those projects, it's unlikely they are going to go full scale automation any time soon.

"So it's scaring off key roles, key workforce participants."

'It's the perfect storm'

Graeme Richards runs a mining services business. He said over the past six months sales in mining equipment and trucks had increased significantly, but firms were struggling to find anyone to operate the machinery.

Graeme Richards says companies are struggling to find people to operate machinery. ( ABC News: Elicia Kennedy )

"Looking on social media you see comments that say, 'don't bother applying for dump truck jobs they are all automated now' and that is not the case," Mr Richards said.

"There are hundreds of mine sites that do not and would not [automate] because of the costs involved and they are going to continue on with drivers as they have done in the past."

George Rebeiro from Programmed, a major provider of staff to the mining industry, said after the last mining boom many workers moved into other industries or returned to their home states.

With the return in confidence to the mining sector there is now an immediate requirement for skilled labour.

Industry is struggling to find drivers to operate trucks like these. ( ABC News: Elicia Kennedy )

"It's the perfect storm at the moment. Everything is happening at once," Mr Rebeiro said.

"Production has increased, automation projects are in play, new pits in existing mines are being developed, new mines are maturing.

"The highest demand will be in the next three years and as an industry we need to see leadership by growing our own trades, by planning and investing now."

Those in the training sphere say the resources industry will now have to work hard to attract skilled labour.

While the number of apprenticeships in WA rose 7.3 per cent in the 12 months to the end of March, it will take up to four years for those students to hit the workforce.

Tim Lee (16) is learning trade skills at TAFE and hopes to get an apprenticeship in the future. ( ABC News: Elicia Kennedy )

"We have got to plan through the down periods as well," Mr Walker said.

"I understand you can't have the same number of trainees or apprentices going through, but you still need to plan for when we come out of that, you have got the people there."