The Queensland Government has committed to invest $15 million to build the new CQ Renewable Energy Training Facility in Rockhampton.
The CQ Renewable Energy Training Facility aims to power the clean energy workforce and support the region’s electrical tradespeople, apprentices and high school students to take up a career on Queensland’s publicly owned SuperGrid.
Specialised training courses will be delivered at the facility by Electro Group Training – available to existing or aspiring energy workers in Central Queensland, to ensure they can secure jobs on large wind, solar, hydrogen and storage projects.
The CQ Renewable Energy Training Facility in Rockhampton will give local workers the skills they need for the thousands of jobs being created under the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and Queensland’s Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap.
The facility will offer qualifications in renewable energy, train apprentices, and assist licensed electricians to upgrade their skills to install, operate, and manage solar and other renewable energy equipment safely.
The new facility in Rockhampton would be a first for regional Queensland, joining Electro Group’s existing facility at Pinkenba in Brisbane.
Member for Keppel, Assistant Minister Brittany Lauga, said, “Central Queensland is a powerhouse of energy production, and it’s Central Queenslanders themselves that will power our region for generations to come.
“This new facility does what matters by investing in them, allowing new and existing workers to easily access the skills they’ll need to work in our booming renewable energy sector.
“This new facility will help equip our energy workforce with the skills they’ll need to transition to cheaper, cleaner, more reliable energy – providing more face-to-face, local training options, and limiting the need for travel.
Member for Rockhampton and Hydrogen Champion, Barry O’Rourke, said that this multi-million-dollar investment from progressive coal royalties is key to putting Central Queenslanders at the centre of renewable energy jobs.
“This new training facility will help upskill, reskill, and train new and existing workers to deliver and maintain critical energy infrastructure, to keep Central Queensland booming,” Mr O’Rourke said.
“Central Queensland will also be at the heart of Queensland’s high-value hydrogen sector – home to the Central Queensland Hydrogen Hub, and CQ-H2 Stanwell’s flagship Central Queensland Hydrogen Project.”
Electro Group CEO, Donna Pickford, said that this investment is providing the right equipment and infrastructure required to train local workers for the state’s clean energy transition, and is critical to the region’s future.
“We’re seeing a surge in electrical trade apprentice numbers so this new facility will be a game-changer for the specialised skills and knowledge they need for a clean energy career,” Ms Pickford said.
“Rocky is an energy powerhouse of Queensland, so it deserves state-of-the-art facilities that not only meet the demand for workers but sets the region up for a bright future.”
Queensland Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs, Mick de Brenni, said the Queensland Government is delivering more local jobs, more economic opportunities, and a brighter future for Central Queensland.
“Thanks to the Miles Government’s Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, there are job vacancies right now in Central Queensland, and this training facility will give locals the best shot at landing one of those jobs,” Mr de Brenni said.
To learn more about Queensland’s Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap visit: desbt.qld.gov.au/employment/strategies/clean-energy-workforce
Featured image: Malcolm M/shuttertstock.com
