The ongoing conversations about the shift in the Hunter's economy present both opportunities and challenges for Singleton and the region, not least how to prepare our next generation of workers for jobs in industries that may not yet exist.
The reality is that mining will have a strong presence in our community and economy for at least the next decade, and expectations of some young people to move from school to the coalface will continue to be fulfilled. But in an evolving economy, our focus is, and should be, on cultivating transferable skills.
From a regional perspective, we have an existing skilled workforce developed from the mining industry to support our transition into new industries, including renewables. More than 30 per cent of workers in the Hunter have STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) qualifications, so the thousands of workers in Singleton and Hunter mines can help to lead us with skills that will work in a new economy.
But we know that there are gaps. Supported by the NSW government's Resources For Regions program (which has since been discontinued), council is delivering several successful employment and skills programs that are identifying skills shortages and providing training and support for young job seekers now, and those who will enter the workforce in the coming years.
Of particular note are civil construction and electrical trades, which have been identified as the future of local industry. We know that we'll need more electricians and more construction workers to support the major infrastructure and renewable projects planned for our region in the next decade and beyond. Yes, mining is Singleton's biggest employer. But it is followed closely by construction and we have a long list of projects both underway and in the pipeline, such as the Singleton Bypass, sustainability hubs, wind turbines, and hydro, which all need to be built.
In the context of net-zero projects in the Hunter, it takes four years to qualify an electrician, and we will need them by 2030. That means we must train people now for industries to support our future workforce. Through our Skills and Employment Program, the council has established connections with local stakeholders in employment and skills and is working closely with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Workforce Australia and Training Services NSW to attract prospective future tradespeople. But the fact is that greater than the skills gap is the gap in the number of training places that are currently available.
Singleton's Advocacy Agenda calls for a commitment to vocational education programs in Singleton, including an expansion of the programs offered at Singleton's TAFE campus, to support young people as they undergo trade qualifications.
The NSW government has a critical role to ensure that the number of education places matches the number of young people willing to study a trade, and the industries ready to hire them, to supply a steady flow of qualified workers to local industries as they grow. Further, those places must be made available in Singleton and the Hunter.
What is needed are more opportunities for technical trainers to take on those roles to pass on knowledge and skills to young people, but difficulty arises when those people are already working in high-paying industry roles. It is therefore crucial that education and training are made to be more lucrative for the people we need to teach and mentor for our next generation workforce.
Next is the investment needed in social infrastructure to enhance lifestyle and livability factors in Singleton, so that entertainment prospers alongside opportunities for career growth, in line with our community's calls for more options for young people as we develop the Singleton Community Strategic Plan for 2035.
The Singleton Careers Expo is on Wednesday, August 7, at Singleton Civic Centre, from 3.30pm to 7.30pm. It is a partnership between the council, the Australian Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Training Services NSW, Workforce Australia Local Jobs and Business Singleton to provide a one-stop-shop for local job opportunities, careers information, and access to training courses and workshops for everyone.
