WITH up to 34,000 new jobs expected to be created by the Hunter Renewable Energy zone it's an important time for Hunter school students to consider what career path they want to take.
Year 10 and 11 high school students across the Hunter spent five weeks in a workshop, tailored to learn how clean energy is generated and stored while connecting with local industry leaders and visiting local renewable energy industries.
With $32 billion earmarked in investment to meet 2030 targets there will be approximately 6300 construction and 2800 ongoing jobs forecast for the Hunter region by the time these students are ready to transition into employment.
The TAFE NSW and Regional Industry Education Partnership (RIEP)-led program was an opportunity for students to gain insights into future career opportunities in renewables projects in the pipeline in the Hunter.
Wyong High School's Jed Marchant said he felt positive about the Hunter moving into renewables.
"I think it's a good idea to improve power saving and consumption in the future," he said.
Mount View High School's Eli Morris was privileged to get an insight into what courses are available for his future.
"TAFE has made me realise there is heaps more out there and is helping me to build up certificates and experiences I can put on my resume which will help get an apprenticeship," he said.
While All Saints Maitland student Madeleine Saccoo plans to study a Nuclear Engineering degree at university.
TAFE NSW's Renewable Energy Course coordinator, Timothy de Grauw led the workshop, which he says has been tailored to the region.
"Here in the Hunter we are demonstrating solar PV, wind, pumped hydro and an EV which is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell," he said.
"After the students grasp the theory, we introduce local industry ambassadors for each generation category who can point to specific projects and the jobs they will need to fill."
The program is part of a broader range of courses that TAFE NSW has developed with industry to upskill workers and allow students to leap into a renewables career, Mr de Grauw said.
Fee free TAFE courses are helping to meet workforce demands with more than 150,000 enrolments in the first half of 2024 across the nation.
Between January 2023 and June 2024, there were more than half-a-million enrolments with 170,000 people aged 24 and under and 34,900 in the construction sector.
Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said fee free TAFE and financial assistance for apprenticeship and trainees proved to be a catalyst to motivate and train the next generation.
"It is essential government continues to work with business, education and training sectors to make sure packages are relevant and resonate at a time when skills shortages continue to be a drain on productivity and business reaching full capacity," he said.
He said it was difficult to overstate the importance of bringing forward programs to skill workers in sectors like renewables that will tap into the workforce of tomorrow.
"We can't afford to wait until the jobs fully materialise before the skills and trade pathways are designed and offered," he said.
"We must also look to blend development pathways into existing courses and frameworks and it's pleasing to see our education and training institutions are alive to this prospect."
"The youth of today are faced with broad choices in many disciplines and this should not mean there is a distinct pathway for every job. Having unlimited choice brings its own challenges. Workforce training and skills need to be mindful of qualifications and experience being transferable."
"If we are to succeed in accommodating high-skilled, high-paid jobs, our education and training systems must be on board and seeing progress is being made in this context is encouraging."
