Skills required
The general consensus in this age of renewable energy transition is that many jobs will emerge is different fields, from solar installation to engineering to sustainable supply chains.
ACCELERATING Australia’s renewable energy transition is set to create jobs in fields from solar installation to engineering to sustainable supply chains.
Experts predict many white collar office roles will also evolve and that universities will introduce new green degrees to prepare students for future skill demands.
Nick Sutton, general manager of Brunel Australasia, which specialises in mining, oil and gas and renewable energy recruitment, said employment in the green economy was expected to continuing growing through to at least 2027.
“Unlike other industry transitions such as in automotive manufacturing and steel smelting, which have seen many jobs move offshore, a transition to renewable energy will create jobs in Australia,” Mr Sutton said.
“Job losses in coal-fired electricity generation are more than compensated for by increased employment in the renewable energy sector.
“Wind-turbine technicians and solar panel installers are the fastest-growing (green) jobs in the country.”
The National Skills Commission’s Skill Priority List for 2021 forecasted “strong” future demand for occupations including agricultural consultants, agricultural scientists, civil engineers and environmental managers, tasked with identifying and solving environmental issues in organisations and ensuring sustainable development.
It also predicted “moderate” future demand for environmental engineers, consultants and research scientists, and agricultural engineers.
Dr Rob Hales, director of the Griffith Centre for Sustainable Enterprise at Griffith University Business School, agreed there was increased demand for “green” jobs, but stopped short of predicting a shortage of talent.
“There have been ups and downs over the past 20 years but the general trend over that time has been an increase (in jobs),” he said.
“I think it will continue, it’s not a passing fad.”
Dr Hales attributed the trend to changing social expectations around sustainability, green investments, climate change action and responsible business practices.
He said there was growing need for sustainability officers to oversee energy and emission reductions in organisations.
Many large companies already have these but Dr Hales said there had been a flow-on effect down the supply chain to smaller organisations.
“Then there are jobs that have an element of sustainability within them,” he said.
“A small business might not be able to employ a sustainability officer, but they might employ a marketer that has understanding of how sustainability relates to their business and consumer demand.”
Dr Hales said specific degrees designed to produce “sustainability graduates” already existed and that general business degrees now incorporated content on sustainability and social responsibility, but other industry experts believed current university offerings did not go far enough.
Career coaching provider Career Success Australia program director Naren Chellappah, who previously worked for universities in Victoria, suggested the introduction of new dedicated degrees, such as a Bachelor or Master of Trade and Sustainability, that prepare students for careers helping businesses meet sustainability obligations.
“If Australia is to meet its commitments to a zero carbon economy, then it’s likely that all businesses will need to have expert knowledge or advisers within the company to lead this change,” he said. Queensland local Sean Mowen, 31, joined residential solar company Instyle Solar four years ago, after a career in landscaping. He started in the call centre then was offered his current position, running the company’s warehouse Australia wide.
“It’s great to come to work every day knowing you’re contributing positively to the environment. It’s a bonus that the industry is booming and there are so many great opportunities in different jobs,” he said.
Tom Connell, 32, of Sydney was an engineer with BHP before making the switch into the renewable energy sector.
As delivery manager – energy at Quadsol, his role is a combination of business development, project management and technical skills.
Mr Connell is currently studying a Master of Sustainability with the University of Sydney.
“That’s a multidisciplinary Masters that takes courses from the business, law, engineering and science faculties and gives a holistic view of sustainability,” he said.
“It’s a really useful approach because we brush up against environmental approvals and legal hurdles so you have to understand them when dealing with clients and their goals.”