Will Australia have the workforce for a clean economy?

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Will Australia have the workforce for a clean economy?

What skills are needed in a transition to a clean economy? And how does education & training need to change to support the transition?

By Ai Group

Date and time

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM PDT

Location

Online

About this event

As Australia transitions to a clean economy there are both known areas of change such as electrification and offshore wind and emerging areas such as renewable hydrogen and the circular economy. The output of many materials, products and services required for a clean economy will have to ramp up dramatically, and that will require adequate numbers of skilled workers.

While there is some uncertainty about where the skill needs will be, the International Labour Organisation has estimated that globally the clean energy transformation will create 25 million jobs and lead to a loss of 7 million jobs.

The transition has the potential to involve all industries, not only those in the low carbon and environmental goods and services sector. All businesses will need to use natural resources efficiently and sustainably. Therefore skill needs are likely to be multi-layered. Industry needs deep, technical skills but also transferable skills. The whole community will need clean economy literacy to enable a culture for transition.

There will be a growing need for skilled tradespeople and energy professionals in Australia; indeed, employers are already reporting skills shortages across these occupations as their businesses transition. In addition to needing a greater pipeline of workers with university and VET qualifications, it is likely short courses will be increasingly called on to rapidly upskill and reskill.

Join Megan Lilly, Executive Director of the Centre for Education and Training and our panel of speakers as they explore how Australia can develop the workforce required for a clean economy:

  • What skills are needed in a transition to a clean economy?
  • What skills challenges are companies experiencing now?
  • What macro-level workforce planning is underway?
  • How does education and training need to change to support the transition?

Panel members:

Michael Brear, Director, Melbourne Energy Institute, University of Melbourne and Net Zero Australia project

Dr Anita Talberg, Director – Workforce Development, Clean Energy Council

Jane MacMaster, Chief Engineer, Engineers Australia

Craig Brewer, Talent Acquisition Lead – Australia, Worley

Organised by

The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) is Australia's peak industry association. Acting on behalf of business for 150 years, we are the country's only truly national employers' organisation.

 

Ai Group represents the interests of more than 60,000 businesses employing more than 1 million staff. Our longstanding involvement with diverse industry sectors including manufacturing, construction, transport, labour hire, mining services, defence, airlines and ICT means we are genuinely representative of Australian industry.

 

With more than 250 staff in offices across NSW, QLD, SA, VIC and WA, we have the resources and the expertise to meet the changing needs of our members. We provide the practical information, advice and assistance you need to run your business more effectively.

 

Ai Group also offers members a voice at all levels of government through our policy leadership and influence. Our deep experience of industrial relations and workplace law positions Ai Group as the leading advocate on behalf of enterprises large and small across Australia.

 

We intrinsically appreciate the challenges facing industry and remain at the cutting edge of policy debate and legislative change – and strategic business management.

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