The renewable energy sector in Australia is only growing, and with it the demand for workers. Yet hiring challenges persist, largely due to these issues:
The biggest challenge right now is skill shortages. With such high demand in an innovative relatively new sector, our workforce has not yet developed to service this need. According to the Clean Energy Council, Many of the roles that are in short supply of workers, require either a VET or University certification.
This brings us to the next problem, there is a lack of specialised training to equip enough workers with the necessary skills. A report from 2023 by Jobs and Skills Australia (https://lnkd.in/gqZcY6XM) found that there is a lack of fundamental skills and training needed to assist in the country’s renewable energy transition. In order to meet the demand, the transition is requiring workers from existing energy sectors, through to new energy pathways through up-skilling. However, educational institutions are often slow to adapt their curricula to meet the emerging needs of the renewable energy sector.
Change is clearly required in order to sustainably grow the workforce with the Net Zero initiative, so the Government is working on solutions:
To increase the understanding of jobs and skills required for the green energy industry, the Government is working on the first national energy workforce survey, Australian Energy Employment Report (AEER). This will help to inform policy development, skills development and training opportunities.
The 2023 Clean Energy Generation report calls for reforming education and training, including deeper collaboration between VET, higher education, and industry, new course delivery models, clearer student pathways, a cohesive tertiary education system, and consistent occupational licensing.
The report calls for overhauling funding and programs, developing new curricula for emerging needs, serving thin markets via competitive models, reducing capital constraints through collaboration, and incentivizing employer involvement in education and training.
It also suggests increasing student participation, supporting educators, being inclusive of women and First Nations people, and targeting incentives for apprentices. It also aims to boost training rates by fostering a training culture among employers and better utilising international students in relevant fields.
With the employment market in this sector being quite challenging, many renewable energy companies choose to work with a recruitment agency to ensure that they receive the top candidates for the role.
Here at Haines Christo, we are here to help with our specialised consultants trained to understand the nuances and issues faced within the renewables workforce.
Reach out to see how we can help with upcoming growth and delivery plans.
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