STAFF WRITERS
TRAINING initiatives announced by the state government include $5 million for TAFE Gippsland to create a Clean Energy Centre in Morwell.
A new $3 million training package to upskill the energy workers of the future is also available under a state government program.
A Solar Victoria $1.5 million investment will deliver free training for 1000 plumbers and fourth-year apprentices to design and install energy efficient heat pumps and solar hot water systems. Households that switch to solar panels and a heat pump could save up to $1100 a year on their electricity bills.
Another $500,000 will deliver free training for a further 400 electricians and fourth-year apprentices to complete training to safely design and install rooftop solar and home battery systems.
The state government will also invest $250,000 to support Aboriginal businesses to participate in the renewable energy sector. The package also aims to help attract more women to start a career in the solar and renewable energy sectors through a $100,000 mentoring program.
Mentoring programs will be expanded to offer 40 extra placements so that qualified electricians, electrical engineers and licensed electrical inspectors can get free on-site technical mentoring and follow-up support to install or inspect solar PV and battery systems. The demand for installations is expected to rise, enabling more workers to enter the solar industry for the first time.
To ensure best practice across the industry, the government will invest $150,000 in safety solar training in regional areas, funding for site supervisor training and new training for safe handling of solar panels. Another $300,000 will go towards further research to identify skills gaps and trends.
The government is investing $12 million towards a business case for the SEC Centre of Training Excellence, the Victorian Energy Jobs Plan and new VET qualifications, $10 million for a Hydrogen Energy Worker Training Centre and $6 million for a Wind Worker Training Centre.
“We’ve established a $50 million TAFE Clean Energy Fund to train workers with critical skills that we need as we bring back the SEC. The fund includes $6 million for stage 2 of the Asia Pacific Renewable Energy Training Centre at Federation TAFE in Ballarat, and $5 million for South West TAFE to deliver a Building Innovation and Design Centre in Warrnambool,” said the Minister for the State Electricity Commission, Lily D’Ambrosio.
The SEC has an initial government investment of $1 billion, which it says will be strategically invested to help deliver 4.5 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2035. Ms D’Ambrosio said the first project that was part of the SEC’s pioneer investment that would be announced later this year.
