Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Chris Minns will announce a $60 million Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at Tighes Hill Tafe on Tuesday.
The project, funded over five years, will accelerate the development of a 'higher apprenticeship' model focused on the skills required for net zero manufacturing.
The centre will play a pivotal role in building up new skills required to support the renewable energy sector, in particular the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone.
"Investing in a Future Made in Australia means investing in the skills and training industry will need in the years to come," Mr Albanese said.
"The Hunter has a proud history of industry and manufacturing - which is why this is the perfect place for this Centre of Excellence.
"This builds on the skills that are already a part of this region's DNA."
The centre of excellence will:
- grow the workforce to support the renewable energy industry through technology-integrated learning, increasing access to training in regional and remote areas of northern NSW via a mobile training unit.
- establish a national renewable energy microskills marketplace, enabling TAFEs across Australia to share and access renewable industry-related digital non-accredited courses.
- implement a higher apprenticeship model, integrating vocational education and training (VET) and higher education by combining critical trade skills like electrotechnology, welding, and fabrication, with higher-level units in emerging areas such as digital technologies.
It will also build on partnerships between TAFE NSW, universities and local industry to pilot qualification models that deliver a parity of status between VET and higher education.
The establishment of the Tighes Hill centre follows the announcement of the Western Sydney advanced manufacturing centre of excellence.
The Hunter Jobs Alliance has been lobbying for a Hunter-based centre of excellence in recent years. It follows concerns from industry groups about chronic skills shortages in key industries.
Mr Minns said the centre of excellence built on the state government's commitment to provide fully subsidised training to an additional 1,000 apprenticeships a year in advanced manufacturing and related industries.
"The Hunter region is a powerhouse for energy and manufacturing and we are proud to partner with the Albanese Government to deliver this training centre so the local community and industry have the skills needed to benefit from the energy transition," he said.
Increasing the number of apprentices - particularly in trades such as electrotechnology, engineering, manufacturing and mechatronics - is vital to ensure NSW and Australia have the skills to transition mining, energy and manufacturing industries to a clean energy economy.
This will help it meet the demand for net zero training to support decarbonising mining and manufacturing sectors as Australia transitions to net zero by 2050.
"The Hunter is the manufacturing heart of NSW. Today's announcement is a major investment in local education that will build a skilled workforce ready for the jobs and industries of the future," Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said.
"The Net Zero Centre of Excellence will not only equip workers with essential skills, but support businesses to adapt so they can continue to employ tens of thousands of workers, provide good jobs and ensure people have a good, prosperous future.
"Investing in local workers will help ensure the Hunter's local economy continues to thrive for decades to come."
The federal government is investing $325 million under the five-year National Skills Agreement, which began on 1 January, to establish a network of up to 20 TAFE Centres of Excellence in areas of high skills needs.
The government's fee-free TAFE program has supported more than 500,000 enrolments nationally.
NSW alone has seen more than 231,000 students enrol in Fee-Free TAFE courses.
