About Energy Skills Queensland

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Energy Skills Queensland leads energy industry and government engagement on vocational education and training, skills development and labour market issues. ESQ will ensure that skill needs are identified at local, regional and state levels, and ascertain training priorities, suitable training products and ideal training delivery methods.

Energy Skills Queensland is the Centre of Excellence for Strategic Industry Workforce Planning & Workforce Development for the Energy Industry established by the Queensland Government.

Energy Skills Queensland is one of four centres of excellence in Queensland that lead and influence targeted industries in skill-related matters – from industry strategy and business process to smarter workforce management.

Drawing on the experiences of Queensland’s existing aviation and mining centres of excellence, Energy Skills Queensland was established in late 2007 by the Queensland Government and key energy industry stakeholders.

The Energy Industry in Queensland is experiencing an unprecedented demand for technically skilled workers across all occupational levels. Vacancies exist in the professional, para-professional and trade occupations across the industry with the critical shortages occurring in technical trades particularly electricians, line workers and cable jointers.

Skill supply issues are also exacerbating skill shortages across the industry to the point where the number of new entrants is barely keeping up with industry attrition rates.

Available secondary research indicates that the following are the primary causes affecting the gap between the demand and supply of skills for the energy industry;

  1. Industry Growth
  2. Demographic issues
  3. Industry employment trends
  4. Shifts in occupational patterns
  5. Changes in technology
  6. Training capacity and capability

To address these demand and supply issues, Energy Skills Queensland has devised six broad priority areas containing many strategies and actions. They are as follows;

  1. Conduct Strategic Industry Workforce Planning
  2. Provide Advocacy and Leadership
  3. Initiate Strategic Industry Workforce Development
  4. Promote the Industry as a Career of First Choice
  5. Progress our Branding and Reputation
  6. Build a Sustainable Business Model

Additional Information