Sydney has been selected as the host city for the 2024 Australian Clean Economy Skills Symposium, a groundbreaking event organised by the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA), the peak body representing independent skills training, higher education, and international education providers.
“As the nation moves towards a clean economy, independent skills training and higher education providers will play a pivotal role in equipping the workforce with the necessary skills. The symposium’s primary focus is to identify how the skill requirements of businesses will evolve and how this transformation will generate demand for courses within the tertiary education sector,” said Troy Williams, ITECA Chief Executive.
Attendees of the 2024 Australian Clean Economy Skills Symposium will receive comprehensive briefings on the workforce needed to support the clean economy. This will include a spotlight on the skills and training necessary to bolster the growth of clean energy technologies and industries nationwide.
“We need only observe the electricity sector to witness how the adoption of residential solar power and home electric vehicle charging has altered the skill set required by electricians. This is even before considering the workforce requirements for large-scale renewable energy generation and distribution,” Mr Williams said.
The symposium will also examine the demand for skills in other sectors of the economy and the opportunities before independent skills training and higher education providers.
“ITECA’s work with our colleagues in industries as diverse as tourism, transport and agriculture has highlighted that the transition to the clean economy will drive demand for many new types of skills training and higher education courses. This will be an exciting time for tertiary education providers looking to pivot and take advantage of these opportunities,” Mr Williams said.
Data from the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) reveals that 98.6% of MSS Sustainability Training Package student enrollments are with independent Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). In a related skills sector, 100.0% of student enrollments in the UEP TUP Electricity Supply Industry – Generation Sector Training Package are with independent RTOs. ITECA highlights how this shows the capability of the independent tertiary education sector to provide the required skills.
“When it comes to supporting the transition to the clean economy, independent skills training and higher education providers have the experience and reputation for quality to facilitate workforce skilling, reskilling, and upskilling,” Mr Williams said.
The 2024 Australian Clean Economy Skills Symposium will be held on 25 July 2024 at the Mercure Sydney.