As part of the State Government’s efforts to build the workforce needed to support the world’s transition to a clean energy economy, Western Australia will soon become home to Australia’s first Clean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence.
The Clean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence will harness and develop the collective capability of the State’s TAFE colleges and other training institutes, to skill thousands of Western Australians for the net zero transition.
Clean Energy Skills will collaborate with industry, unions, TAFE, universities and other key stakeholders to develop and deliver state of the art training and create a front door for industry to help them prepare workforces to meet the future demands of the clean energy sector.
Clean Energy Skills will also develop and implement strategies for national priorities such as Closing the Gap, diversity and inclusion, and regional development, while maximising access to vocational training for learners and employers.
The clean energy investment pipeline in Western Australia is in the vicinity of $200 billion, and projections show the clean energy sector is expected to generate around 350,000 jobs from 2025 to 2050.
Western Australia’s clean energy future offers exciting, well-paying, and long-lasting jobs, working with the latest technologies to reduce carbon emissions. The establishment of the Clean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence is a key priority of the State Government’s five-year National Skills Agreement with the Commonwealth Government.
More information about Clean Energy Skills will be available from 1 July 2024.
Clean energy
Clean energy comes from renewable, non-polluting sources such as solar, wind, hydrogen, and battery power. These forms of clean energy have minimal impact on the environment and will power the future of Western Australia, promising numerous job opportunities in this rapidly growing industry.
Clean energy will transition Western Australia to a more sustainable, low-carbon future, with increased job creation, improved public health, and energy security.
The Western Australian economy needs skilled workers in clean energy jobs to achieve the State Government's commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
Where working in clean energy can take you
A wide range of clean energy jobs and career paths across solar, wind, hydrogen and battery power are available to those passionate about forging a more sustainable future.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clean energy projects in Western Australia
There are a number of clean energy projects already operating throughout Western Australia. Jobs in clean energy are predicted to increase significantly over the coming years.
State Government Clean Energy Priorities
The State Government is supporting a number of initiatives to promote clean energy across Western Australia.
Western Australia is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, the policy seeks to transform energy use, support clean manufacturing, manage land responsibly, and promote lower-carbon transport.
The State Government is focused on nurturing a skilled workforce, vital for the transition to a net zero emissions future by 2050.
A $3 billion investment earmarked to combat climate change and achieve net zero emissions by 2050, setting the foundation for a cleaner, more affordable, and reliable energy future.
This strategy is to modernise WA's energy infrastructure and governance in response to the increasing demand for clean energy, ensuring a reliable, sustainable and affordable energy supply for the future.
The State Government will work through the South-West Interconnected System (SWIS) Demand Assessment with industry to enable industrial users to decarbonise and support growth in new industries such as hydrogen and critical minerals.
There are multiple industry development strategies including:
- Western Australian Renewable Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap which aims to position WA as a major producer and exporter of renewable hydrogen;
- Future Battery and Critical Minerals Industries Strategy to use WA’s competitive advantage in battery minerals for cost-effective manufacturing;
- Wind Turbine Manufacturing Initiative is a feasibility study investigating the potential to produce wind turbine components in WA; and
- Collie Just Transition Plan / Collie Futures Fund supports Collie’s transition away from coal with targeted investment to attract new industries.
Clean energy occupations
The clean energy sector in Western Australia offers a wide variety of job opportunities. Explore the extensive landscape of professions in this growing field.
| Clean energy occupations | Hydrogen | Wind | Battery | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical and materials engineers |
✓ |
|
✓ |
|
| Chemical, gas, petroleum and power generation plant operators |
✓ |
✓ |
||
| Chemistry technicians – chemistry process analyst, laboratory technician |
✓ |
|||
| Electrical engineering draftspersons and technicians |
✓ |
|||
| Electrical engineers |
✓ |
|||
| Electrical linesworkers / electrical line mechanics |
✓ |
✓ |
||
| Electricians |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| Electronic engineering draftspersons and technicians |
✓ |
|||
| Engineering managers |
✓ |
|||
| Engineering production workers |
✓ |
|||
| Environmental research scientists |
✓ |
|||
| Geologists, geophysicists and hydrogeologists |
✓ |
| Clean energy occupations | Hydrogen | Wind | Battery | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial, mechanical and production engineers |
✓ |
|
||
| Manufacturers |
|
✓ |
||
| Mechanical engineering draftspersons and technicians |
|
✓ |
✓ |
|
| Metal fitters and machinists |
|
✓ |
✓ |
|
| Other engineering professionals - mechatronics Engineer |
|
✓ |
|
✓ |
| Other natural and physical science professionals - meteorologist, metallurgist, mineral processing engineer |
|
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| Production manager (manufacturing) |
✓ |
✓ |
||
| Structural steel and welding trades workers |
✓ |
✓ |
||
| Structural steel construction workers |
✓ |
|
✓ |
|
| Technical cable jointer |
✓ |