Career opportunities created by the energy transition are set to provide significant benefits to First Nations organisations and communities across Australia.
The First Nations Clean Energy Network (FNCEN) has released a report – Powering First Nations Jobs in Clean Energy – which seeks to identify pathways for First Nations people to be supported to enter the clean energy sector, gaining access to quality career opportunities.
Quality long-term employment is an important means of empowerment for First Nations communities, and FNCEN has acknowledged that there have been many inquiries and reports on First Nations employment outcomes, by government and other parties.
FNCEN is eager to enable First Nations people to take advantage of the opportunities presented by Australia’s energy transition. As the drive to switch to renewables only accelerates, action needs to be taken now to ensure that the benefits of this once in a generation revolution are not allowed to slip by.
FNCEN’s report seeks to outline what these opportunities are and set ambitious action targets to establish a system for developing the skills and pathways to support First Nations people to enter into meaningful careers in the clean energy sector.
What is the FNCEN?
FNCEN was established in late 2021 in Mparntwe, Alice Springs, with the purpose of ensuring that First Nations Australians are supported to benefit from the opportunities of the energy transition.
The network is made up of First Nations individuals, groups, community organisations and land councils from across Australia. It has partnered with renewables companies, technical advisors, industry groups, legal experts, academics and unions. FNCEN said that building long term skill growth and employment development paths in the clean energy sector is one of the key ways to ensure that the energy transition improves the lives of First Nations Australians, allowing them to turn jobs into careers, and careers into generational wealth.
FNCEN engaged with a number of institutions in the development of its latest report, including the Institute for Sustainable Futures (University of Technology Sydney), SGS Economics, Alinga Energy and Indigenous Energy Australia. Through this engagement, employment modelling and data analysis, FNCEN has examined the barriers that have resulted in the low numbers of First Nations workers in the clean energy sector and developed a 12-step action plan outlining how government, industry and First Nations communities can work together to realise the benefits of the transition.
Supply and demand
FNCEN said that there are four types of actions taken to advance First Nations career opportunities in the sector:
- Demand-side measures, which increase opportunities for employment in the sector
- Supply-side measures, which increase the volume of First Nations Australians with the right skills to fill those roles
- Enabling measures, which connect First Nations people with training resources and employment opportunities
- Cross-cutting measures, which increase the capacity of First Nations organisations and seek to change the culture of the industry
One of FNCEN’s key learnings from its past programs is that supply and demand measures need to be integrated wherever possible.
The report highlights that during consultation with First Nations communities FNCEN found that there was a lot of cynicism about the commitment of industry to deliver on jobs, and that without guaranteed roles to progress to, skills programs became “training for training’s sake”.
One the other hand, demand-side measures on their own risked industry finding ways to comply with diversity targets without the people with the right skills to create real career opportunities.
The report found that, in practice, integration of supply-side and demand-side actions was critical for successful and meaningful creation of employment opportunities.
Primary 12 recommended actions
The FNCEN report puts forth 12 recommendations to industry:
1. Incorporate First Nations employment and training targets into the Capacity Investment Scheme
The report states that including well-designed employment and training targets in the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) would increase opportunities for First Nations Australians.
To ensure the targets have the intended effect, they would need to be well-coordinated and achievable.
Targets that are too ambitious and are not supported by programs to increase the supply of trained candidates run the risk of employers hiring to ‘tick boxes’, focusing on short-term, low-skill jobs that won’t create lasting changes in First Nations employment rates.
Targets would need to be adapted across industry to reflect variations across states, REZs, regions and sectors.
2. Create a coordinated industry program for First Nations apprentices in wind farm maintenance
The report states that FNCEN undertook fieldwork which found that a coordinated scheme with wind farm operators and maintenance firms could engage First Nations apprentices and trainees as mechanical technicians, but warned that the feasibility of such a program would need to be proven in order to drive voluntary industry action.
FNCEN said that it interviewed several wind farm operators, some of which expressed that they had tried to undertake First Nations employment schemes without finding success, whilst others said that they were unsure how to go about it.
Through its consultation FNCEN found that there was a common belief among wind firms that a coordinated, industry-wide approach would be required to make any meaningful change.
It also found that First Nations stakeholders had low confidence that renewables companies would deliver on employment and training.
The report outlines that a coordinated scheme, with well-adjusted targets, in select regions and sectors, could demonstrate to the industry and First Nations communities that, together, meaningful jobs and skills opportunities are possible.
3. Integrate First Nations employment and training targets and initiatives into housing retrofit, diesel replacement and microgrid programs
The report found that programs focused on First Nations roles in housing retrofit work could leverage competitive tenders to secure commitments to apprenticeships for trades vital to the energy transition.
While housing retrofits were found to be the largest opportunity in this area, there is potential for other programs to be delivered in diesel replacements and microgrids.
These roles could serve as a bridge to more large-scale renewable energy projects in REZs as, for example, electrical apprentices undertake the domestic component of their apprenticeship before working on large-scale projects.
4. ‘CareerTrackers for Clean Energy’, develop long-term industry commitments to First Nations cadetships
Through its consultation with industry, FNCEN found that there is high demand and supply shortages in a range of occupations across the sector. It was suggested to FNCEN that a ‘CareerTrackers for Clean Energy’ initiative could create pathways for First Nations students to find employment in the energy industry. The report states that funding should be provided to develop an initiative between universities, the energy sector and associated organisations to increase the number of First Nations students completing degrees in clean energy qualifications.
5. Clean energy careers for First Nations school students
In its community consultation FNCEN found that there was a low awareness of the clean energy sector and the types of jobs available in it amongst First Nations student cohorts, who represent a great opportunity for change due to the young profile of First Nations communities.
The report suggests some activities that could be undertaken to boost awareness amongst students, including:
- Outreach campaigns to raise awareness of the clean energy sector
- Information and engagement programs to enable First Nations students to better understand the employment opportunities and pathways into these jobs
- Programs to create opportunities such as school-based apprenticeships and internships
- Embedding clean energy education in the curriculum
- Equip First Nations students with practical job-seeking skills such as interview practice and resume writing
6. School to VET transitions: Traineeships and Apprenticeships
The report states that the transition from school to employment and training is a major pain point for First Nations students.
A range of initiatives exist in other sectors that work to bridge this gap, and the report calls for funding to be allocated to the development of pre-apprenticeship programs specifically for key clean energy sector occupations. It also states that increasing the number of First Nations trainers would boost course completions, as they are better able to engage with First Nations students.
7. Outreach engagement with First Nations students via Regional University Study Hubs
Regional, rural and remote communities all suffer from gaps in access to education, but this is especially true for First Nations communities. Regional University Study Hubs (RUSHs) are crucial means of overcoming the physical barrier to tertiary education, and the recent investment by the Federal Government into RUSHs is expected to increase the number of hubs close to or in REZ regions.
The report advocates for the development of an outreach and engagement program through the RUSHs that could host events in partnership with the clean energy sector, develop information sources, and use First Nations voices to reach, inform and inspire students.
8. Pre-employment programs to create pathways into entry-level jobs in solar farms
In the renewable energy industry, solar farms offer a comparatively high number of entry-level positions such as labouring, cleaning or traffic management which only require short-term training.
This can be beneficial for First Nations Australian’s who are out of the workforce or who have never worked.
The report calls for the state governments to invest in developing pre-employment programs to create a pipeline of First Nations applicants in REZs with concentrations of solar farms, and to create ‘wrap around’ services that can help address circumstances that might prevent workers from keeping their jobs, such as housing issues, family responsibilities or transport limitations.
9. Funding Group Training, focussing on the REZs and First Nations housing retrofits
Group Training Organisations (GTOs) are a valuable means of increasing the number of apprentices and trainees in the renewable energy sector.
The FNCEN report highlights that despite GTOs seemingly being conducive to the circumstances of the energy transition, they do not currently play a significant role.
The report also finds that pooling industry demand in the REZs through a tender process could support companies in meeting apprenticeship and First Nations targets, by creating funding certainty and reducing transaction costs for industry.
10. Fund an Industry support program to enable achievement of employment and training targets
Even with measures to increase the supply of qualified First Nations apprentices and workers, and targets to lift industry demand, the report highlights the likelihood that the clean energy sector will require support and facilitation to implement meaningful change.
With the transition only speeding up, renewable energy developers are under major time pressures to deliver projects and are suffering from skills shortages as a result.
The report calls for funding from the Federal Government for the development of an industry support program, which could set skill, training and diversity targets supported by a network of specialist officers.
11. Building the capacity and coordination of First Nations organisations, networks and businesses
Through its consultation, FNCEN has found that there is a lack of resources and capacity amongst First Nations organisations and networks, which is resulting in difficulty enabling employment, building a pipeline of workers, and winning tenders.
The report states that funding from State and Federal Governments is required to increase the capacity of First Nations organisations to engage effectively with the clean energy sector.
Additionally, government support could be used to develop knowledge sharing networks between First Nations communities that can share best practices and employment models.
12. Building cultural competence in the renewable energy sector
Finally, the FNCEN report highlights that a major cultural shift is required to create culturally safe workplaces and organisations that provide career paths for First Nations Australians.
Whilst recruitment and training ensure that there is a supply of eligible applicants, culturally safe workplaces are necessary to improve the retention and performance of First Nations employees.
Many of the training and employment challenges that regional and remote Indigenous communities face are due to systemic, intergenerational disadvantage.
FNCEN advocates for the clean energy industry to work together with government to develop innovative solutions to overcome the barriers to achieve meaningful First Nations employment targets.
