The Queensland Government has announced plans to construct a $15 million training and skills facility in Rockhampton, aimed at bolstering the region’s clean energy workforce.
This initiative, contingent on the government’s re-election, is set to play a crucial role in preparing Central Queensland’s workforce for the renewable energy sector.
Named the CQ Renewable Energy Training Facility, the centre will cater to thousands of electrical tradespeople, apprentices, and high school students aspiring to build careers in Queensland’s publicly owned SuperGrid.
The facility will be owned and operated by Electro Group Training, offering specialised courses in renewable energy technologies.
Brittany Lauga, Member for Keppel and Queensland Assistant Minister for Health and Regional Health Infrastructure said Central Queensland is a powerhouse of energy production, and it’s Central Queenslanders themselves that will power local region for generations to come.
“This new facility does what matters by investing in them, allowing new and existing workers to easily access the skills they’ll need to work in our booming renewable energy sector,” she said.
“This new facility will help equip our energy workforce with the skills they’ll need to transition to cheaper, cleaner, more reliable energy – providing more face-to-face, local training options, and limiting the need for travel.
“We are committing coal royalties to deliver this in the next term of government, but you can bet your house that David Crisafulli and the LNP will cut the funding, sack the workers, and sell the public ownership of our energy system out from underneath us.”
The funding for this project will be sourced from fairer coal royalties, with construction planned over the next three years.
This investment is part of the government’s Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and the Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap, which aim to create thousands of jobs in the renewable energy sector.
According to the State Government, the facility will offer a range of services, including:
Training for licensed electricians to upgrade their skills in solar and renewable energy equipment installation, operation, and management.
Qualifications in renewable energy for new entrants to the industry.
Apprenticeship programs focused on electrotechnology and renewable energy.
This Rockhampton-based facility will be the first of its kind in regional Queensland, complementing Electro Group’s existing facility in Pinkenba, Brisbane.
The government anticipates that this investment will help ensure Central Queensland workers are well-prepared for employment opportunities in large wind, solar, hydrogen, and storage projects.
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