The nationwide transition to net zero emissions risks being undermined by “overlooked” skills shortages, with a predicted shortfall of 42,000 trade workers next decade.<\/p>\n
The Powering Skills Organisation, a government-established jobs and skills commission, has sounded the alarm in its 2025 Workforce Plan, warning that training bottlenecks are partly to blame.<\/p>\n
Chief executive Anthea Middleton said the current energy workforce of 300,000 energy, gas and renewables sector workers would not be sufficient to meet demand and further investment in training would be needed.<\/p>\n
“Training has fallen by about 40 per cent over the last decade across the electrical trades, and that has resulted in a current shortage of 22,000 apprentices, which means we are already behind,” she said.<\/p>\n
The report said the apprenticeship system would be heavily relied upon to address the shortfall \u2014 due in part to low immigration rates of skilled energy workers \u2014 but change would be needed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Anthea Middleton has warned additional investment in training will be needed. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
It linked the shortfall in workers to school students being steered away from apprenticeships, employers not having a clear return on investment and a lack of trainers.<\/p>\n
While there has been an uptick in the number of apprentices, Ms Middleton said workforce shortages had been overlooked.<\/p>\n
“The training system is currently at capacity and therefore we are not able to train or bring more apprentices into the system,” she said.<\/p>\n
The government has introduced fee-free TAFE and invested $91 million towards skilling up the clean energy workforce.<\/p>\n