Minister of Parliament Hon Brendan O’Connor has called for an army of skilled workers at a recent gathering of industry professionals during the National Electrical Contractors Association’s (NECA) National Electrotechnical Industry Lunch event in Melbourne.

“We will need an army of skilled workers to power the Australia of the future,” Brendan says.

“Australia is undergoing a significant transformation towards a clean energy future, and with that comes many opportunities.”

With several key announcements in this year’s federal budget around clean energy initiatives, and the unveiling this week of the government’s Net Zero Agency and Advisory board, a clean energy future is seen to be ranked high on the government’s list of priorities.

The federal budget has set aside $3.7 billion for a five-year national skills agreement to make skills and training more accessible and equitable.

“I want to thank you for your hard work in getting this Jobs and Skills Council (JSC) off the ground. The quicker they can start the work, the sooner we will have a more complete picture of the sector’s skills needs,” Brendan says.

“Your collaboration with Master Electricians Australia (MEA) and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) will help develop the skills needed for the workforce of tomorrow.

“Paramount to getting this right is making sure all voices have a seat at the table. Employees, businesses, and all levels of government need to work together. They must collaborate to make sure we have the most informed view of how we combat both current and future skills shortages.”