The roundtable continues the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to ensuring the clean energy transition creates new local, secure jobs in both metropolitan and regional NSW.
Stakeholders from dozens of organisations joined the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan and NSW Jobs Advocate Mark Apthorpe to discuss opportunities and strategies. Participants included industry bodies, unions, educators and government agencies.
Key advice from the roundtable will contribute to the NSW 2030 Renewable Workforce Plan.
The roundtable builds on the work underway by the NSW Jobs Advocate Mark Apthorpe. Dr Apthorpe has delivered his initial report, making six recommendations to assist with the successful delivery of the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap. The NSW Government is progressing the issues raised by Dr Apthorpe, which will help deliver skills, training and jobs.
The Minns Labor Government is already taking action to create local, secure jobs and ensure people in the industry are able to transition to work in renewables. This includes:
- Launching $275 million in grants under the Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative, to secure NSW as the place to develop and manufacture clean technology and create new jobs in the process.
- Setting workforce requirements through the Renewable Energy Sector Board’s plan and Roadmap tenders.
- Establishing a First Nations coordination team within EnergyCo and developing First Nations Guidelines with key Aboriginal community representatives and government agencies to build pathways to employment.
- Funding employment initiatives for local communities.
- Introducing eight new TAFE NSW microskill courses related to renewables, including Hydrogen Energy Fundamentals and preparing to work in the renewable energy sector.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe said:
“Delivering the energy transition is a big challenge that comes with real opportunities for thousands of good, local and secure jobs.
“The NSW 2030 Renewable Workforce Roundtable brought together the brains and experience across the Hunter and beyond to help ensure the workforce plan for the Renewable Energy Zones will deliver skills, training and jobs across the state now and into the future.”
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:
“The Hunter is proud to host the NSW 2030 Renewable Workforce Roundtable, which will help deliver skills, training and jobs right across NSW.
“The ideas and opportunities discussed today can be applied not only here in the Hunter, but throughout the state as the energy sector grows.”
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said:
“The Minns Labor Government is supporting the people of NSW to gain the skills they need for emerging industries.
“The Renewable Workforce Roundtable is an opportunity for industry, education experts and government to collaborate and create pathways to jobs in the renewable energy sector, which are popping up right across NSW.
“I’m particularly interested to build on our efforts to deliver training and apprenticeships to people in regional areas, existing tradespeople and school leavers.”