Tuesday, 21 February 2023

Ministers statements: renewable energy workforce

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education, Minister for Agriculture) (12:30): I am pleased to update the chamber on how the Andrews Labor government is delivering skills and jobs for our clean energy future through collaboration and collective impact. Recently I was pleased to join the Premier and the Minister for the State Electricity Commission to announce the upcoming renewable energy skills and workforce forum, bringing together representatives from clean energy employers, unions, training providers, peak bodies, students and traditional owner groups. The forum will be held in the first half of this year to enable cooperation to ensure that we have the training and workforces we need for the thousands of roles the SEC and other clean energy assets will be able to create under Victoria’s renewables revolution.

This forum will also lay the groundwork for the establishment of the SEC training excellence centre, which will work hand in glove with our vocational education and training sector to ensure that the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority is able to accredit courses in clean energy. For many existing workers this will mean building on their current trade qualifications, particularly in electrotechnology qualifications. Clean energy will also become a VCE vocational major, which has replaced the vocational certificate of applied learning. This will ensure a strong pathway into these courses post secondary school.

Our nation-leading transition to net zero will be delivered by the SEC and will be supported by our world-class training and skills system. Only the Andrews Labor government will establish a clean, green economy for Victoria with sustainable careers for thousands of Victorians.