- A re-elected Miles Labor Government will build a new $15 million skills and training facility in Rockhampton that will power the region's clean energy workforce.
- The CQ Renewable Energy Training Facility will support the region's thousands of electrical tradespeople, along with hundreds of apprentices and high school students looking to take up a career on Queensland's publicly owned SuperGrid.
- Specialised training courses will be delivered at the facility by Electro Group Training – available to existing or aspiring energy workers in Central Queensland, to ensure they can secure jobs on large wind, solar, hydrogen and storage projects.
The new Miles Labor Government will do what matters for Central Queenslanders with up to $15 million in fairer coal royalties funding to build a brand-new state-of-the-art electrotechnology training facility over the next three years.
The CQ Renewable Energy Training Facility in Rockhampton will give local workers the skills they need for the thousands of jobs being created under Labor's landmark Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and Queensland's Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap.
The facility, owned and operated by Electro Group Training, will offer qualifications in renewable energy, train apprentices, and assist licensed electricians to upgrade their skills to install, operate, and manage solar and other renewable energy equipment safely.
The new facility in Rockhampton is a first for regional Queensland, joining Electro Group's existing facility at Pinkenba in Brisbane.
As stated by Member for Keppel Assistant Minister Brittany Lauga:
"CQ is a powerhouse of energy production, and it's Central Queenslanders themselves that will power our region for generations to come.
"This new facility does what matters by investing in them, allowing new and existing workers to easily access the skills they'll need to work in our booming renewable energy sector.
"This new facility will help equip our energy workforce with the skills they'll need to transition to cheaper, cleaner, more reliable energy – providing more face-to-face, local training options, and limiting the need for travel.
"We are committing coal royalties to deliver this in the next term of government, but you can bet your house that David Crisafulli and the LNP will cut the funding, sack the workers, and sell the public ownership of our energy system out from underneath us."
As stated by Member for Rockhampton and Hydrogen Champion Barry O'Rourke:
"This multi-million-dollar investment from our progressive coal royalties is key to putting Central Queenslanders at the centre of our renewable energy jobs bonanza.
"This new training facility will help upskill, reskill, and train new and existing workers to deliver and maintain critical energy infrastructure, to keep Central Queensland booming.
"Central Queensland will also be at the heart of Queensland's high-value hydrogen sector – home to the Central Queensland Hydrogen Hub, and CQ-H2 Stanwell's flagship Central Queensland Hydrogen Project.
"We can't risk David Crisafulli and the LNP cutting this project and the jobs that come with it, the only way to secure the future of our local industries is with a Miles Labor Government."
As stated by CEO of Electro Group Donna Pickford:
"This investment in to CQ is critical to the region's future, providing the right equipment and infrastructure required to train local workers for the state's clean energy transition.
"We're seeing a surge in electrical trade apprentice numbers so this new facility will be a game-changer for the specialised skills and knowledge they need for a clean energy career.
"Rocky is an energy powerhouse of Queensland, so it deserves state-of-the-art facilities that not only meet the demand for workers but sets the region up for a bright future.
As stated by Minister for Training and Skills Development Lance McCallum:
"This new facility will do what matters for the Central Queensland workers of today, and tomorrow, just like Labor's public ownership of the state's energy assets.
"The funding for this training facility is only possible thanks to progressive coal royalties which puts it right on the chopping block for David Crisafulli and the LNP.
"There's no clearer difference between Labor and the LNP than when it comes to jobs and training, their plan will jack up course fees, close campuses, and sack staff across Queensland."
As stated by Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs Mick de Brenni:
"The Miles Government is delivering more local jobs, more economic opportunities, and a brighter future for Central Queensland.
"Thanks to the Miles Government's Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, there are job vacancies right now in Central Queensland, and this training facility will give locals the best shot at landing one of those jobs.
"This big investment in Central Queensland is powered by our progressive coal royalties, which are at risk under an LNP government.
"If David Crisafulli and the LNP are given the chance, they'll give mining profits back to overseas corporations and it will be everyday Queenslanders that suffer the consequences."
