The New South Wales Government has unveiled the design for the state’s first hydrogen training facility.
The $25 million facility aimed at training and up-skilling thousands of plumbers and gas fitters to work with emerging hydrogen technologies.
The specialised training centre will be built in partnership with the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) at their existing site in Glenwood, western Sydney.
The hydrogen training facility is projected to train and upskill 8,250 plumbers and gas fitters over its first five years of operation.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the renewable energy transition is an important opportunity for NSW, creating thousands of local, secure jobs and attracting investment to the state.
“We are delivering on a key election promise to build a centre for the next generation of plumbers, equipping them with the skills they need to work with renewable energy technologies,” he said.
The centre’s design showcases spacious workshops and classrooms where trainees will receive hands-on instruction focused on hydrogen equipment operation, gas fitting techniques specific to hydrogen, and critical safety protocols.
This curriculum goes beyond traditional plumbing skills to address a significant shortage of plumbers across NSW and Australia.
The centre will train more plumbers and prepare NSW’s workforce for jobs in the growing hydrogen industry as the state shifts to renewable energy.
NSW’s Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said this initiative will be critical in ensuring current and future apprentices and those already in the industry receive the high-quality training they will need to meet future industry demands.
“It also highlights the importance of government, industry and unions collaborating to build and develop the skilled workforce that will deliver the state’s economic growth and sustainability goals,” he said.
The construction phase is expected to employ over 100 apprentices and generate 500 jobs in western Sydney. Once operational by 2027, the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence will be owned and operated by PICAC, employing approximately 50 staff members.
PICAC is an industry training provider representing a collaboration between plumbing industry and trade union partners.
For more renewable and solar news, subscribe to ecogeneration.