The Queensland Government has released the Queensland Energy Workforce Roadmap, which outlines how government, industry, workers and community can work together to create a workforce that can carry the state through the energy transition.
The roadmap is supported by the Future Energy Jobs Guide, which outlines job opportunities and career pathways available to existing workers and school students.
Developed in consultation with over 90 key stakeholder groups statewide, the roadmap captures the priorities of regional communities and industry to ensure the right skills are delivered in the right locations.
The $30 million in funded actions include:
- Piloting of Mobile Regional Energy Jobs Hubs across the Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (QREZ) regions to connect regional communities to job opportunities
- An expansion to the Gateway to Industry Schools program to cover a dedicated renewable energy focus, and online resources to support Queensland teachers to deliver clean energy content and student learning
- Regionally tailored clean energy future skills demand/supply analysis and jobs opportunity guides
- A skills academy as part of Stanwell’s Future Energy Innovation and Training Hub in Rockhampton
- A program of investments for state owned training infrastructure
- Expansion of the VET Emerging Industries initiative
- Co-funding of up to 20 places in Engineers Australia Global Engineering Talent Pilot Program for future clean energy related positions
Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said that Queensland is well positioned to lead the clean energy revolution, by taking advantage of the state’s natural resources and established high quality training infrastructure.
“It’s why we released the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, focused on delivering more jobs and creating clean, reliable and affordable energy to provide power for generations,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Our government has built the first facilities in the nation to deliver the skills and training for the renewable energy and hydrogen jobs needed for the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.
“The Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap will further expand renewable energy training into more than 30 schools for 2,000 students across Queensland.
“That includes establishing school to industry partnerships so that our young people can have the opportunity to have access to good paying and secure jobs in the regions they are living in.
“The plan also expands on work to provide new skills for existing workers including a Future Energy Innovation and Training Hub in Rockhampton.
“Together, Queenslanders will be at the forefront of new opportunities from the energy transformation, with the majority of infrastructure investment and employment in regional areas.”
Queensland Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development, Di Farmer, said that this is the workforce plan to support the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.
“The Roadmap has a critical role in helping to identify how many jobs will need to be filled, what sort of jobs they are, where they are, and what skills will be required,” Ms Farmer said.
“Being armed with this information helps us make all of that happen.
“We know there will be demand for electrical trades jobs, engineering, construction, technicians, science and technology, corporate roles, and education, training and development.
“We are creating exciting pathways for Queenslanders. I urge school leavers and existing workers to explore career opportunities in the Future Energy Jobs Guide.
“All this builds on the strong workforce foundations set out in our Queensland Workforce Strategy and the more than $1.2 billion we invest annually delivering high quality training and exciting career pathways for Queenslanders.”
Queensland Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen, Mick de Brenni, said that there are thousands of opportunities for decent, secure and well-paid jobs for Queenslanders in the clean energy transformation.
“Through the Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap, the State Government will develop the highly skilled workforce required to roll out Queensland’s transition to renewable energy so we can help Queenslanders cut emissions and save on power bills,” Mr de Brenni said.
“This roadmap, along with the Queensland Government’s $150 million Job Security Guarantee, and laws introduced into Parliament this week, mean energy workers at Queensland’s publicly owned coal-fired power stations can be confident there will be good jobs for them and generations to come in regional Queensland.”
Energy Skills Queensland CEO, David Cross, said that Energy Skills Queensland welcomes the investment by the Queensland Government in Queensland’s Clean Energy Workforce.
“It is our people and our regions that will be driving the energy transformation over the next decade,” Mr Cross said.
“The State Government’s commitment to vocational training, to Queensland’s universities and to pathways for students in our schooling system augurs well for the future. Transforming the workforce now helps begin that journey while laying a critical and positive platform for the industry over the longer-term.
“The efforts of training organisations to equip the electrical trades, engineering, construction, and technical workers is crucial.
“Equally, this development must be guided by quality real-time data and the capture and management of verifiable competencies and skills.”
