Victoria says its clean energy transition is projected to generate 10,000 jobs annually.

Gayle Tierney, the state’s skills minister, says the shift towards clean energy will require both semi-skilled and high-skilled roles. 

Semi-skilled positions will include solar technicians, household electrification advisers, battery and cell manufacturers, and electric vehicle repair technicians. 

High-skilled roles will encompass 3D printer operators, emissions reduction managers, geothermal technicians, energy efficiency engineers, and machine learning programmers.

However, the Andrews Labor government is confronted with the challenge of building this workforce. 

The government plans to upskill over 500,000 existing jobs, particularly by retraining individuals currently employed in the fossil fuel industry. 

An example of this strategy can be seen in Gippsland, where TAFE Gippsland, Federation University, Energy Australia Yallourn, and Star of the South are collaborating to identify transition opportunities and training requirements for a renewable energy workforce.

Star of the South, Victoria's most advanced offshore wind project, has the potential to supply up to 20 per cent of the state's electricity needs and create numerous jobs during construction and operations in Gippsland.

To support the workforce in the clean economy transition, Ms Tierney says there is a need to establish strong foundations.

“Our ambitious targets will transform Victoria and position our state as a world leader in climate action,” she said. 

The Andrews government aims to achieve 95 per cent renewable energy by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2045, with the revived State Electricity Commission (SEC) playing a crucial role. 

The government expects the SEC to create 59,000 jobs by 2035 and boost the gross state product by $9.5 billion.

While some critics argue that reviving the SEC may discourage private investors and not reduce power prices, Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio defended the initiative. 

She explained that the SEC would contribute 4.5 gigawatts of new energy capacity to the grid by 2035, emphasising the need for collective efforts to address energy challenges.

D'Ambrosio assured that the SEC's focus would solely be on renewables, ruling out involvement in fossil fuel projects with carbon capture and storage, as well as transmission and distribution. 

The potential for future investment in pumped hydro projects remains open.