WA pushes ahead with clean energy training hubs as workforce challenge looms

Fremantle Shipping News closely follows climate change and clean energy initiatives at both Federal and State Government levels designed to enable an effective transition to an electrified economy. In that regard, today’s announcement by the WA Government to push on with clean energy training hubs is welcome news, but questions still remain.

The Cook Government has awarded a construction contract for a specialist clean energy training facility at South Metropolitan TAFE’s Munster campus, part of its effort to prepare Western Australia for the workforce demands of the energy transition.

BADGE Constructions (WA) Pty Ltd will build the facility, a key Labor election commitment intended to support training for jobs linked to renewable energy projects and the State’s broader decarbonisation agenda.

Here are some renders of what the Munster facility will look like. Very impressive!

The Government says an additional 22,000 workers will be needed in WA’s clean energy sector by 2035, although it has not detailed how that figure breaks down across individual occupations or industries.

According to today’s announcement, the Munster facility will focus on training for wind energy, battery technology, green hydrogen, electrification, automation and robotics.

The planned two-storey development will include classrooms, computer laboratories, automation and instrumentation laboratories, battery laboratories and a control room. Once operational, it is expected to accommodate an additional 840 course enrolments a year.

The project forms part of a broader Clean Energy Skills Hub network. Construction is also underway on a $32 million facility at North Metropolitan TAFE’s Midland campus, which will serve as the central hub for training in areas including solar, wind and battery energy storage systems.

The Midland campus will be linked to regional training centres, including Central Regional TAFE’s Kalgoorlie campus, as the Government attempts to spread training opportunities beyond Perth.

While the Government frequently cites the need for thousands of additional clean energy workers, today’s announcement provides few details about the specific skills shortages it expects to emerge. However, the training disciplines identified point towards growing demand for electricians, instrumentation specialists, automation technicians, battery storage technicians, hydrogen industry operators and other technical trades associated with renewable energy infrastructure.

The Government has also expanded access to subsidised training, with courses including the Electrotechnology pre-apprenticeship, Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician and Certificate III in Laboratory Skills available on fee-free or low-fee arrangements.

State Energy, Decarbonisation and Skills Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said Western Australians should be positioned to benefit from the jobs generated by the transition to cleaner energy sources.

Cockburn MLA David Scaife said the investment would help local workers access employment opportunities expected to emerge in the Western Trade Coast region through renewable energy and advanced manufacturing projects.

Some, on each side of the climate debate, will no doubt ask whether enough large-scale renewable and green hydrogen projects will ultimately proceed to create all 22,000 of the forecast jobs. Time will tell, but this initiative in preparing for an optimistic climate future, is a step in the right direction.

*By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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