Green skills training boost welcomed
Date: 23-Apr-2009
The Federal Government has released details of its Skills for the Carbon Challenge plan which will commit $25.7 million to drive green skills and training development.
A major report by the ACF and ACTU shows Australia has the potential to generate up to 500,000 additional green collar jobs by 2030 and multi-billion dollar export opportunities. Both organisations believe the Government’s initiative is a welcome step towards this goal.
According to ACTU President Sharan Burrow: “It will help our global competitiveness and give incentives to industries to train people for sustainable jobs.
“Resourcing skills development and creating a knowledge base here in Australia means we are not buying in expertise from overseas and will position us well to take advantage of new technology as the economy recovers.”
Support for apprentices is important, as young people are being hard hit by the economic downturn.
“We hope this Federal Government initiative will be the start of a more ambitious long term plan for green collar job creation.”
ACF executive director Don Henry adds: “It’s important for Australia to identify and develop the green skills, knowledge and jobs that are needed to move Australia to a low carbon economy.
“This initiative is a modest but welcome step. By being ambitious about climate change action Australia can create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. To get there we need to equip Australian workers with the skills they will need to succeed.”
Ms Burrow said initiatives such as the Victorian Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre which has been set up jointly by the Victorian Plumbers Union and industry stakeholders, with support from the State Government, is an example of what can be done when industry and unions work together.
