Australia’s net-zero transition at risk amid worker shortage

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Australia's 'net zero energy transition' risks being stalled by workforce shortages. A government-established jobs council is warning that the country faces a shortfall of 42,000 energy trade workers by 2030.

Transcript

00:00Well, it is a hugely significant number, this projected shortfall of 42,000 energy sector

00:08workers that covers electricity workers as well as boilers and also workers in the renewables

00:16space as well. This data is included as part of this new report, the Workforce Plan for

00:232025 from Powering Skills Organisation, which, as you say, is a jobs and skills council set

00:31up by the federal government. It's one of 10 such entities. In terms of why this might

00:38be the case, they point in part to a shortfall in training, saying that there's been a 40%

00:45fall in training for apprenticeships and other career paths into this sector over the past

00:54decade. And the current workforce of some 300,000 workers across this area will not be sufficient

01:03to meet the growing demand that will be required to stand up renewables infrastructure as part

01:11of this commitment to reach net zero by 2050. Now, the shortfall of 42,000 is by 2030. But

01:18speaking to the CEO of Powering Skills Organisation, she says that could be exacerbated further and

01:26will continue to grow if nothing is done and get even more significant by 2050.

01:33The transition has already begun and we are seeing that we are starting from a position

01:39that where we are behind in terms of the workforce numbers. The Ministerial Council that supports

01:44this work has been working hard to reform the system around how qualifications are viewed,

01:52built, delivered. And I think an ongoing investment in that qualification reform is critical.

02:01She also says that there's a coordinated approach needed, that much of the time skills are not seen

02:08as a priority. She says that they come second to some of the other areas that receive investment as

02:15part of any great transition and that a more coordinated approach between both the federal

02:21and state governments is required, putting forward a plan to do so. She also puts forward a suggestion that

02:28part of this shortage has been due to an over-reliance on pushing too many people away from apprenticeships,

02:38into university pathways, and she says that that needs to change. And to help create that change,

02:44the organisation is setting up a register of apprentices to connect them with potential employers.

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