The Queensland Government committed to using up to $15 million in fairer coal royalties funding to build a new skills and training facility in Rockhampton to power the state’s clean energy workforce.
The CQ Renewable Energy Training Facility will support the region’s electrical tradespeople, along with apprentices and high school students looking to take up a career on Queensland’s publicly owned SuperGrid.
The facility, owned and operated by Electro Group Training, will be built over three years and offer qualifications in renewable energy, train apprentices, and assist licensed electricians to upgrade their skills to safely install, operate, and manage renewable energy equipment.
The Queensland Government said that the new facility in Rockhampton is a first for regional Queensland, joining Electro Group’s existing facility at Pinkenba in Brisbane.
Member for Keppel Assistant Minister, Brittany Lauga, said, “CQ is a powerhouse of energy production, and it’s Central Queenslanders themselves that will power our 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.
“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.”
Member for Rockhampton and Hydrogen Champion, Barry O’Rourke, said that the multi-million-dollar investment from our progressive coal royalties is key to putting Central Queenslanders at the centre of renewable energy jobs.
“This new training facility will help upskill, reskill, and train new and existing workers to deliver and maintain critical energy infrastructure, to keep Central Queensland booming.
“Central Queensland will also be at the heart of Queensland’s high-value hydrogen sector – home to the Central Queensland Hydrogen Hub, and CQ-H2 Stanwell’s flagship Central Queensland Hydrogen Project.”
Electro Group CEO, Donna Pickford, said, “This investment in CQ is critical to the region’s future, providing the right equipment and infrastructure required to train local workers for the state’s clean energy transition.
“We’re seeing a surge in electrical trade apprentice numbers so this new facility will be a game-changer for the specialised skills and knowledge they need for a clean energy career.
“Rocky is an energy powerhouse of Queensland, so it deserves state-of-the-art facilities that not only meet the demand for workers but sets the region up for a bright future.”
Queensland Minister for Training and Skills Development, Lance McCallum, said, “This new facility will do what matters for the Central Queensland workers of today and tomorrow.”
Queensland Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs, Mick de Brenni, said that the Queensland Government is delivering more local jobs, more economic opportunities, and a brighter future for Central Queensland.
“Thanks to the Miles Government’s Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, there are job vacancies right now in Central Queensland, and this training facility will give locals the best shot at landing one of those jobs.”
To learn more about Queensland’s Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap visit: https://desbt.qld.gov.au/employment/strategies/clean-energy-workforce
Image credit: Coleman photographer/Shutterstock.com.
