Queensland launches hydrogen workforce plan

The Queensland government has launched a dedicated workforce development plan for the hydrogen industry, it said on July 20.

Queensland’s minister for training and skills development Di Farmer launched the Hydrogen Industry Workforce Development Roadmap 2022-2032 in a speech to the Australian Clean Energy Summit in Sydney.

“This roadmap is the first dedicated workforce development plan for the industry and sets a path to a strong and adaptable workforce for a safe and thriving Queensland hydrogen industry,” Farmer said.

As part of the A$15mn vocational education training initiative, the government is liaising with the industry on future safety and hazards training to strengthen the skills of the hydrogen workforce.

Queensland’s minister for energy, renewables and hydrogen, Michael de Brenni said the state’s hydrogen industry was set to tap into a growing demand for large-scale domestic projects, and export opportunities.

“We’re accelerating the development of Queensland-made hydrogen, creating more jobs in more industries, especially in regional Queensland,” de Brenni said.

“We have already set a strong foundation for the emerging hydrogen industry by investing A$50mn in state-of-the-art infrastructure to support training in renewables and hydrogen, providing essential, hands-on experience with new and emerging technologies,” de Brenni added.