The Victorian Government is setting the groundwork for the State Electricity Commission‘s (SEC) future workforce, which will generate thousands of jobs to achieve Victoria’s renewable energy future.
The SEC Energy Jobs and Skills Forum will be held on 29 June and will bring together over 200 experts and stakeholders, including Traditional Owner groups, employers, TAFEs, universities, technical schools, training providers, local government, and unions, to help shape Victoria’s renewables workforce.
The forum will create the State Government’s first Victorian Energy Jobs Plan, ensuring Victoria’s workforce meets energy transition and investment demands. The strategy will focus on tangible steps to fill gaps and make Victoria a renewable energy workforce leader.
“The Energy Jobs and Skills Forum is a big step towards creating the workforce for the SEC and deliver our nation-leading targets of 95 per cent renewable energy by 2035 and net zero by 2045,” Minister for the SEC Lily D’Ambrosio said.
According to the State Government, its 95% renewable energy objective by 2035 would require vast energy and storage capacity, including new wind and solar farms and modest community and home renewables assets like solar and batteries.
The forum will address how the sector can engage with the government and the training system to recruit, train, and retain people for Victoria’s energy transition.
“We’re training and upskilling the next generation of workers we will need to bring back the SEC and deliver even more renewable energy projects across the state,” Minister for Skills and Training Gayle Tierney said.
Victoria’s renewable energy objectives and the SEC will create more than 59,000 energy asset construction and operation employment to help with the transition.
The Victorian Government is investing $1 billion to produce 4.5 gigawatts of power from SEC-delivered new construction renewable energy projects, replacing coal-fired power plant Loy Yang A, which will close in 2035.
The Victorian Budget 2023/24 allocated $5 million to the SEC Centre of Training Excellence for a business case. The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority will approve renewable energy courses with the facility.
The energy and training package proposed by the State Government seeks to produce 6,000 apprentices, trainees, and a pipeline of competent renewable energy employees.
