The Australian and NSW Governments have announced a $15 million investment over four years to train workers required for the state’s renewable energy rollout, with the Hunter expected to play a central role given its concentration of projects, training facilities and supply chain capability.
The funding supports the NSW Renewable Energy Skills Strategy, launched at the Transgrid Orange Regional Centre on Friday, and is intended to build the workforce needed to design, construct and maintain renewable generation, storage and transmission infrastructure.
The initiative aligns with the state’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, which is forecast to create around 7,000 roles during peak construction and about 4,500 ongoing positions, many of which will be located in regional areas including the Hunter.
Minister for Energy and Climate Change Penny Sharpe said, “The Energy Roadmap is delivering thousands of regional jobs across NSW to make sure families have energy they can trust and afford.”
She added, “Building renewable energy at scale means building the workforce to match, and this strategy connects students, apprentices and local workers with job opportunities.”
Training pathways anchored in local institutions
Existing training assets in the Hunter, including the Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at TAFE NSW Tighes Hill, form part of the broader ecosystem supporting the strategy. Programs span school-based trade tasters, apprenticeships and traineeships through to longer-term employment pathways linked to energy infrastructure projects.
The strategy also expands the Regional Industry Education Partnerships program, which connects employers with secondary schools. Through tailored activities, students gain exposure to local industries, develop job-ready skills and build networks with employers operating in their region.
New Skills Coordinator roles will work with employers, training providers and communities to help local students and workers transition into renewable energy roles, strengthening the pipeline from education into employment.
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said, “This $15 million investment is about making sure local people have the skills to take up the jobs created by the renewable energy transformation. It is about investing in skills that will stay in country communities and provide a long term local benefit.”
“We’re turning major energy projects into real, long-term careers, with clear pathways from school and training into secure, skilled work across regional NSW.”
Transmission projects driving regional demand
Major transmission developments linked to the Roadmap are expected to sustain demand for skilled workers across the Hunter and surrounding regions. Transgrid is delivering projects including EnergyConnect and the Hunter Transmission Project, which will move renewable electricity from generation zones to homes and businesses.
EnergyConnect, spanning about 900 kilometres across NSW, Victoria and South Australia, is designed to strengthen grid connections and enable higher levels of renewable generation. Recent progress includes completion of transmission tower construction and conductor stringing on the eastern section, with the Dinawan substation expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
Building a lasting regional workforce
According to the NSW Government, the Renewable Energy Skills Strategy is built around five pillars—awareness, access, support, equity and mobility—aimed at addressing workforce shortages while ensuring regional communities benefit from training and employment outcomes.
By linking schools, training providers and employers with the state’s energy infrastructure pipeline, the strategy is intended to leave a long-term skills legacy in regions such as the Hunter, where the concentration of projects and training capacity places it at the centre of NSW’s evolving energy workforce.
