STEPHEN JONES MP  

SHADOW ASSISTANT TREASURER  

SHADOW MINISTER FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND SUPERANNUATION 

MEMBER FOR WHITLAM  

ALISON BYRNES

CANDIDATE FOR CUNNINGHAM

LABOR TO INVEST IN NEW ENERGY SKILLS FOR ILLAWARRA WORKERS

The local workforce and business community will be better equipped to be part of Australia’s clean energy future under Labor’s plans to invest in renewable energy skills development in the Illawarra.

An Albanese Labor Government will provide $10 million to establish an Energy Futures Skills Centre located at the University of Wollongong and provide $2.5 million in funding to upgrade equipment and teaching aids, creating a Renewable Energy Training facility at Wollongong TAFE to support training in renewable energy technologies.

The two facilities will work together closely on:

• Skills development to build the energy workforce of the future.
• Utilising state-of-the-art clean energy manufacturing facilities to develop applications for teaching and research.
• Deliver a business support program to assist businesses with energy transition and support new technology start-ups.
• Engage in community outreach activities.

This investment in workforce development in the Illawarra adds to other local initiatives to boost renewable energy, cut power bills and reduce emissions including: installing community batteries in Warrawong and Dapto; investing in the development of green steel through the National Reconstruction Fund; and mandating local content, including steel, as new infrastructure is built to modernise the electricity grid.

Quotes attributable to Stephen Jones

“The Illawarra has a proud industrial history and this investment in the local workforce and support for local businesses will support a bright industrial future for the region.

“Real action on climate change comes about by setting a strong target on emissions which Labor has and by making the strategic investments in all parts of the economy to achieve that target.

“Capability assessments have pointed to shortages of a suitably skilled workforce in renewable energy technologies in the Illawarra as one of the things holding us back and this will deliver that capability.”

Quotes attributable Alison Byrnes

“We cannot take real action on climate change unless we have the workforce to develop it, build it and maintain it.

“This investment will equip our region to be central to energy generation, transmission and storage into the future.

“These investments in the University of Wollongong and Wollongong TAFE will help build and train the workforce of the future and support businesses as they navigate changes to their operations that might be required to use more clean energy.”