A new report from Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) is using CSIRO modelling to estimate the additional workforce required in the Sunshine State as the transition to renewable energy gathers pace, writes Gavin Dennett.
Such is the speed of Australia’s transition to clean energy, each year between now and 2050 Queensland is set to construct up to $13.9 billion in renewable energy projects.
Industry leaders and renewable investors warn that a colossal recruitment drive is needed to fill between 14,500 and 26,700 new positions to undertake construction of the projects.
The report, “Queensland’s Renewable Future”, projects that renewables will require average annual capital expenditure of between $6.7 billion and $13.9 billion to 2050 – adding 30 per cent to 55 per cent to Queensland’s baseline level of engineering construction demand.
However, without the workforce the state’s renewables ambition will fall short.
“The appetite for investing in Queensland’s renewable future is strong,” says CSQ CEO Brett Schimming.
“We have support from government, proponents lining up with their projects, and the strongest ever case for transition of our energy market.
“But all of these important elements still rely on having an available renewable workforce to physically deliver projects in their locations.”
Like most of Australia, Queensland is already experiencing a labour shortfall in the renewables space.
“For an industry already suffering major labour shortages, being on the cusp of an explosion of new activity raises important questions around training and recruitment,” says Schimming.
“What kind of strategy are we going to need to attract and develop new local workforces?
“How do we provide security to investors and give them peace of mind that projects won’t suffer cost and timing blowouts created by skills shortages?”
A majority of Queensland’s future clean energy projects will be built in regional areas, with 62 per cent to 96 per cent of investment spread across the northern, central and southwest parts of the state.
Between 52 per cent and 94 per cent of Queensland’s renewables construction jobs will be in the regions.
“Even in the most conservative modelled scenario, the impacts of Queensland’s renewables boom are going to be huge, particularly for the identified regional epicentres,” says Schimming.
“This is very much a regional story.”
The top five occupations needed to deliver Queensland’s future renewables projects are labourers, concreters, truck drivers, electricians and earthmoving plant operators.
