The New South Wales government has pledged AU$15 million over four years to provide training for the workforce needed for the state’s renewable energy rollout.
Jointly funded with the federal government, the investment underpins the Renewable Energy Skills Strategy (RESS), which supports the state’s energy roadmap.
The RESS builds the pipeline of skilled workers needed to design, build and maintain renewable energy projects across the state.
The government expects the projects to create around 7,000 jobs during peak construction and about 4,500 ongoing roles.
NSW Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Penny Sharpe said: “The Energy Roadmap is delivering thousands of regional jobs across NSW to make sure families have energy they can trust and afford.
“Building renewable energy at scale means building the workforce to match, and this strategy connects students, apprentices and local workers with job opportunities.”
The strategy includes school-based trade taster programs that will train workers through apprenticeships to long-term employment. The programs also include targeted initiatives to increase participation by women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The RESS will also expand the Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP) program, to facilitate links between schools and renewable energy employers to provide students hands on exposure to local career opportunities.
Skills coordinator roles will also be created to work with renewable energy employers, training providers and local communities to support local students and workers.
NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said: “This AU$15 million investment is about making sure local people have the skills to take up the jobs created by the renewable energy transformation. It is about investing in skills that will stay in country communities and provide a long-term local benefit.”
NSW transmission network operator Transgrid will assist in the roadmap by constructing the NSW component of EnergyConnect, Australia’s largest energy transmission project, and the delivery of the Hunter transmission project, which will carry renewable energy from regional NSW to homes and businesses.