Clean energy Council launches skills passport for sector jobs

The Clean Energy Council has introduced a new Clean Energy, job-ready programme to address skills gaps in the renewable energy sector as workforce demand increases.

The programme, developed in collaboration with MyPass, features an industry-agreed skills and training matrix, along with a digital skills passport, to assist job seekers, apprentices, and tradespeople in entering and transitioning within the clean energy sector, particularly in Victoria and Queensland.

This initiative is the result of a year-long consultation with stakeholders. It is designed to help workers more easily understand and attain the qualifications needed for large-scale wind, solar, and storage projects. Employers are also expected to benefit from streamlined workforce mobilisation and improved safety and competency standards among their staff.

Arron Wood, Chief Policy and Impact Officer at the Clean Energy Council, identified the timing of the programme as significant, following the Australian Government's reaffirmed commitment to deliver on its 82% renewable energy target by 2030—a target projected to create thousands of new opportunities for skilled workers. He commented on the associated workforce challenge:

"One of the greatest opportunities and challenges for the clean energy industry over the next five years is that it will need to recruit an additional 40,000 workers to deliver Australia's clean energy transition to meet the Government's renewable energy targets," Mr Wood said.

He further highlighted the historical challenges faced due to varying standards within the sector: "The lack of standardisation in training and skills requirements across employers has traditionally posed a challenge for the industry and creates confusion for workers and students trying to understand the pre-requisites to be ready for clean energy jobs."

According to Mr Wood, the collaborative effort across Victoria and Queensland has now produced common training and skills requirements that make it easier not only for job seekers but also for employers needing to plan and recruit for their projects:

"The Clean energy, job ready program is the result of our close collaboration with industry in Victoria and Queensland to define a common, consistent set of skills and training requirements for clean energy projects. This sector-wide standardisation is key to closing workforce gaps, and accelerating our shift to a green economy," he said.

Programme features

The Clean Energy, job-ready initiative incorporates an industry training matrix, a digital skills passport, and career pathway tools for both entry-level and transitioning professionals.

The training matrix establishes a clear guide to qualifications, licences, and safety requirements for trade roles in clean energy. This is expected to make workforce planning and recruitment more straightforward for employers and training providers.

The digital skills passport, powered by MyPass, enables workers to upload, validate, and share their credentials according to the demands of specific roles and sites. This enables workers to transition between roles and projects with greater ease. For employers, it offers a way to efficiently ensure that workforce competencies meet mandated safety and compliance requirements.

An online platform also assists workers, students, apprentices, and those seeking a career change by outlining the training and requirements to become job-ready for clean energy roles.

Matt Smith, Chief Executive Officer of MyPass, highlighted the range of workers who might benefit from the scheme: "From tradespersons from regional areas, adjacent industries, under-represented groups to mature talent with transferrable skills, the Skills Passport and Career Pathways help workers understand the skills needed to pursue careers in the sector. The better we are at helping workers match their skills to what industry needs, the closer we are to realising Australia's net zero vision," he said.

Mr Wood also commented on the value added by MyPass: "We are pleased to be working with workforce technology leaders like MyPass to launch Clean energy, job ready, as their deep industry experience means they understand the scale and depth of the challenge in ensuring we can deliver a successful and timely energy transition, on the ground and across multiple projects," Mr Wood said.

Mr Smith added, "Using MyPass technology to achieve real-time worker competency assurance enables clean energy operators and their suppliers to unlock new levels of productivity and safety needed to keep renewable projects on track."

Collaboration and funding

The programme is supported by funding from the Victorian Government's Workforce Training and Innovation Fund, and it was created in partnership with TAFE Gippsland and Federation University. In Queensland, the programme was developed alongside Energy Skills Queensland and supported by the Queensland Government.