The Federal and New South Wales Governments are together investing more than $60 million over five years to establish the Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence to deliver the skilled workforce required for Australia’s renewable energy transition.
Both governments are investing $28.1 million, with a further $5.27 million in federal funding to support the centre, which will be located at TAFE NSW’s Tighes Hill campus in Newcastle.
It is expected to accelerate the development of a higher apprenticeship model focused on the advanced skills required for net zero manufacturing.
The New South Wales Government said the upgraded centre will play a pivotal role in building up new skills for workers across the Hunter, investing in their future.
It will enable access to jobs in the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone and deliver the skilled workforce required to support Australia’s renewable energy sector.
The Centre of Excellence will:
- Grow the workforce to support the renewable energy industry through technology-integrated learning, increasing access to training in regional and remote areas of northern New South Wales via mobile training units
- Establish a National Renewable Energy Microskills Marketplace, enabling TAFEs across Australia to share and access renewable industry-related digital non-accredited courses
- Implement a higher apprenticeship model, integrating vocational education and training (VET) and higher education by combining critical trade skills like electrotechnology, welding, and fabrication, with higher-level units in emerging areas such as digital technologies
The centre will also build on partnerships between TAFE NSW, universities and local industry to pilot qualification models that deliver a parity of status between VET and higher education.
The announcement follows the September 2024 announcement of the Western Sydney Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence and is the second of three TAFE NSW Manufacturing Centres of Excellence, boosting skills training in advanced manufacturing and rebuilding onshore manufacturing capabilities.
The State Government said that increasing the number of apprentices – particularly in trades such as electrotechnology, engineering, manufacturing and mechatronics – is vital to ensure New South Wales and Australia have the skills to transition mining, energy and manufacturing industries to a clean energy economy.
The centre will also support both governments’ commitments to rebuilding the local manufacturing capacity, including delivering the skilled workforce required to build and maintain the New South Wales Tangara fleet locally.
The Federal Government is also investing $325 million under the five-year National Skills Agreement, which began on 1 January 2024, to establish a network of up to 20 TAFE Centres of Excellence in areas of high skills needs.
These centres will help deliver a skilled workforce for strategically important industries to meet national challenges.
Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said investing in a future made in Australia means investing in the skills and training industry will need in the years to come.
“The Hunter has a proud history of industry and manufacturing – which is why this is the perfect place for this Centre of Excellence,” Mr Albanese said.
“This builds on the skills that are already a part of this region’s DNA.”
New South Wales Premier, Chris Minns, said, “We are getting on with the job of delivering three TAFE Centres of Excellence in the state, a key part of our commitment to provide fully subsidised training to an additional 1000 apprenticeships a year in advanced manufacturing and related industries.
“The Hunter region is a powerhouse for energy and manufacturing and we are proud to partner with the Federal Government to deliver this training centre so the local community and industry have the skills needed to benefit from the energy transition.
“This is part of our plan to deliver affordable reliable energy and drive down emissions.”
Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles, said the Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence is a great example of the Federal Government partnering with states to place TAFE at the heart of the VET sector.
“This Centre of Excellence in Net Zero Manufacturing will strengthen the VET system by providing high-quality and responsive skills training in the clean manufacturing economy.
“This will strengthen collaboration between universities and the VET sector. It will deliver the skills and knowledge our manufacturing labour market requires, as we accelerate our ambitions of net zero and a future made in Australia.
“I look forward to working with the New South Wales Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan, as together we build a high-performing, more equitable and more dynamic VET sector, to skill Australians for the future.”
Mr Whan said skilled workers are critical to support New South Wales’ transition to net zero and clean energy and to boost the state’s onshore manufacturing capabilities in resources, aviation, defence and transport.
“The second of three TAFE NSW Manufacturing Centres of Excellence, the TAFE NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence – Newcastle/Hunter will provide opportunities to upskill our workforce, so they are able to take full advantage of the opportunities that renewable manufacturing provides.”
