The Australian Government is finalising a National Energy Workforce Strategy (NEWS) to build the skills and capability we need to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
Net zero will involve transitioning our energy system to renewables and supporting new industries to grow. The strategy will provide a national framework to uplift the sector’s workforce to deliver our energy future.
We need to ensure the workforce has the skills and capability to progress a range of initiatives to achieve net zero. These include:
- Capacity Investment Scheme
- Hydrogen HeadStart program
- Powering the Regions fund
- Rewiring the Nation program
- Offshore wind projects
- Future Made in Australia program and more.
The strategy will support the transition by providing opportunities for many Australians to build meaningful careers in the energy sector, including people living in regional areas, women and First Nations people. The strategy will also coordinate action in response to global labour challenges to ensure we have a stable workforce.
Consultation
A public consultation to inform the strategy held from 1 August to 13 September 2024 received 78 submissions in total. Submissions have been published in line with privacy considerations.
Strategy overview
The strategy will consider the workforce and skills we need to design, build, operate and maintain new and existing energy infrastructure.
This will build on existing work that has identified current and future skills gaps in the energy sector, including The Clean Energy Generation study.
The strategy will also consider:
- Australian, state and territory government coordination on energy workforce issues
- energy workforce data gaps
- skills shortages
- attraction, retention, development and redeployment of workers
- training and development in current and emerging occupations
- skilled migration to meet energy workforce needs
- workforce supply and demand
- improved industry engagement and worker engagement
- regional workforce needs and challenges
- diversity and inclusion.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the strategy, please email cleanenergyworkforce@dcceew.gov.au