New TAFE Investment in Clean Energy Skills Training

•    an electrotechnology trainer strategy that models industry participation in vocational education and training (VET) to support energy qualifications

•    a pilot STEM careers hub and Associated Career Awareness Program to foster uptake of young Tasmanians into the sector

•    strategies to lift and sustain training rates and access, focusing on rural, regional and remote learners and diverse cohorts

•    redevelopment of an energy trades facility at TasTAFE’s Burnie campus

Industry and academic experts from other TAFEs and universities will work with the centre on the design and delivery of training. Students will be provided with the opportunity to participate in research to find solutions for sustainable, renewable energy technologies.

Partnerships at the centre will also be formed with the renewable energy industry, jobs and skills councils, universities, employers and unions and other stakeholders. An existing partnership through the Tasmanian Government’s successful ‘High-Vis Army ‘program will also be leveraged.

The Australian Government will invest $13.2 million through the National Skills Agreement, with funding matched by the Tasmanian Government. An additional $800,000 will be allocated through the Australian Government’s Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence initiative.

The centre builds on the significant investment already being made by the Tasmanian Government through initiatives such as the Renewable Energy Action Plan and Renewable Hydrogen Action Plan.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles: 
“The Albanese Government is committed to building a Future Made in Australia, which supports our transition to net zero and we are pulling ever lever we can to get there.

“Together with Free TAFE, the TasTAFE Renewable Energy Centre of Excellence will give students the critical skills to work on the renewable technologies Australia will need to successfully reach our goals.

“This Centre of Excellence will provide students with practical experience, which we know is such an important element of training and means graduates will be ready to join the workforce right away.

“Partnerships like this one, between governments, training organisations and industry, are the best way to deliver the skills people need for good, secure work and careers.”

Quotes attributable to the Tasmanian Minister for Skills and Training, Felix Ellis: 
“It’s so important that we open as many doors as we can to get more young Tasmanians on the tools and skilled-up in their chosen field, particularly in our regions.

“We know that by investing in skills and training, we’re showing the next generation of young Tasmanians that you don’t need to go to university to have great opportunities in life.

“This Tasmanian Liberal Government has an ambitious renewable energy agenda, and we want to ensure we have the workforce to match.”

Media release – Tabatha Badger MP, Greens Skills and Training spokesperson, 17 February 2025

Greens renew calls for free TAFE and an Automotive Centre of Excellence

The Greens welcome the State and Federal Government’s commitment to constructing a $27m Clean Energy Centre of Excellence. This is one of several future industries training initiatives the Greens have been putting forward for some time.

We must ensure all levels of government are presenting pathways to secure a future industry ready workforce, so Tasmanian projects will directly result in Tasmanian jobs.

Now the Clean Energy Centre of Excellence is announced, both the State and Federal Governments must turn their attention to establishing an Automotive Centre of Excellence with TAFE Tasmania.

An Automotive Centre of Excellence is an urgent necessity. Mechanics and workshop owners need accessible upskilling opportunities to meet the rapidly growth of electric vehicle use, and to ensure all internal combustion vehicles still on our roads are maintained at the appropriate emissions standards. Given destructive flooding has forced the closure of the aged Campbell Street training facility, now is the perfect time to progress a state-of-the-art Automotive Centre of Excellence.

Leveling up our training facilities is crucial, and as this occurs the government must do more to ensure training is equitably accessible to all.

The statistics on fee free TAFE showing over 6000 Tasmanians enrolled under the scheme, with over half being women, is a tremendous step in the right direction. However, while covering the tuition fee is some assistance there remain other costs which can be a barrier to enrolment or course completion. There’s also numerous courses that still require fees to be paid in order to participate.

We are calling on the government to make TAFE free, full stop. This is a crucial step to make sure we have a future ready workforce, and to allow Tasmanians to pursue training without financial barriers.

Media release – Clean Energy Tasmania, 17 February 2025

Renewable Centre of Excellence a great step towards a bright future

Clean Energy Tasmania welcomes the Tasmanian Government’s announcement that it will establish a Renewable Energy Centre of Excellence in Burnie.

Clean Energy Tasmania Chair, Ian Jones, said it’s a great sign of support for the renewable energy sector in Tasmania.

“Burnie is the epicentre of the renewables industry,” Mr Jones said.

“Tasmania has the opportunity to become a world leader in developing renewable energy projects and we will need a skilled workforce to get the job done.

“While this is a great step forward, what we really need is for the Tasmanian and Australian Governments to start approving renewable projects to build. In the north-west alone there are proposals for a major wind farm at Robbins Island, three other wind farms, a solar farm, Marinus Link, a methanol production facility, the North West Transmission Development and many others.

“The centre itself is an exciting opportunity using the next generation of technology like virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence to train our youth for a range of jobs, including some that don’t exist now, but will be crucial in years to come.

“We need to train up the workforce but we also need to focus on making sure there are projects happening that require those skills.”