By TOM HAYES
TAFE Gippsland will soon be training locals to have the most up-to-date skills in the growing renewable energy workforce, with its new Clean Energy Centre in Morwell.
Minister for Skills and TAFE, Gayle Tierney visited TAFE Gippsland’s Morwell campus to turn the first sod on the $5 million state government investment.
The Clean Energy Centre is set to deliver world-class vocational training in clean and sustainable energy technologies, including the expansion and maintenance of wind power to cater for onshore and offshore energy systems, hybrid and electric vehicle servicing and maintenance, and smart grid technology.
As a part of the investment, a new standalone, two-storey building at TAFE Gippsland’s Morwell campus will be erected, with the space and equipment set to give students real-world experience while training.
TAFE Gippsland Chief Executive, Laura Macpherson was excited about the new venture.
“Our Clean Energy Centre will support industry and workers in the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, by providing training in the new and emerging skills and occupations needed in the renewables sector,” Ms Macpherson said.
“This is an exciting initiative that will strengthen TAFE Gippsland’s position as a leader in clean energy education, sustainable practices, and the region’s shift towards a more sustainable future.
“It will be a wonderfully large building, (and) it will have state-of-the-art equipment,” Ms Macpherson told media at the Clean Energy Centre build site on Wednesday, April 9.
“You may be able to see solar panels where the students will get hands on ability to be able to work in that area. You’ll be able to see automotive, so… electric vehicles coming in, and (students) being able to undertake the skills needed in that particular sector.”
Construction of the Clean Energy Centre is scheduled to be completed in early 2026 and is expected to have a capacity for up to 200 students, which Minister Tierney believes will help with the growing demand for workers.
“Victoria’s transition to renewable energy is creating thousands of jobs, and we’re delivering world-class training facilities to meet the growing demand for skilled workers,” she said.
“The Clean Energy Centre is another great example of how TAFE opens doors – students in Gippsland can train closer to home for rewarding careers in the clean energy sector.
“This is an investment in the local community, it’s an investment in the transition, and it’s an investment, of course, in individuals that want to participate – not just in terms of getting a job, but having a fantastic career and staying in Gippsland.”
Courses will surround topics of wind, solar, and battery storage, as well as electric vehicle automotive. These courses will commence at the beginning of the 2026 academic year.
Courses will vary in duration, with differences seen between upskilling courses and certified accredited courses, allowing some students to be “job ready” within 12 months.
Minister Tierney mentioned that there is potential for new courses to be developed if possible, as it is a “new field for technology and… for employment”.
She also expects plenty of current coal-fired power station workers to make use of these courses in the future.
“We want to hear from them (coal-fired power station workers) as soon as possible about what their futures look like, what they’re interested in, so that we can utilise the skills that they already have and build upon them,” she said.
When asked why Morwell was the right place for the Clean Energy Centre, Minister Tierney said: “We know that renewable energies are very much part and parcel of the future of Gippsland”.
“It makes sense, it’s fit-for-purpose, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re making sure that the TAFEs we are rebuilding and the system that we are rebuilding is delivering courses that are fit-for-purpose and relevant to the local community.”
The investment in this project comes from the state government’s $50 million TAFE Clean Energy Fund, which hopes to back students, workers, and industries with clean energy projects across the state.
The state government expects the transition to clean energy, meeting the state’s nation-leading target of 95 per cent renewable energy generation by 3035, will create 59,000 jobs in Victoria, as well as 6000 apprenticeships.
Minister for Energy and Resources and Climate Action, Lily D’Ambrosio also made an announcement in Kilmany later that morning (April 9), announcing the construction start of the Fulham Solar Farm and battery, set to also create local jobs, with the farm estimated to generate enough electricity to power 40,000 homes.
The Fulham Solar Farm project is supported by the second Victorian Renewable Energy Target auction, a scheme set up to help deliver more renewable energy back into the grid and save money on bills.
“This new training centre in Morwell will ensure local workers have the skills they need to power our state’s renewable future,” Minister D’Ambrosio said.
Ms Macpherson explained that the Centre will have the ability to evolve, as well as cater for existing new-energy organisations in the industry.
Although new skills are needed, Ms Macpherson also said that “it’s about continuing to provide the existing organisations and industry with the skills individuals that they need right here, right now”.
