Vic applauded for electrical apprenticeship initiative

The Allan Labor government has announced it will set up a state-owned apprenticeship academy to tackle perceived shortfalls in the private training market. By 2040, the government said, the number of electricians working in Victoria’s energy sector must grow by 50% in order to meet demand.

Over the next four years, the SEC Apprenticeship Academy will offer 2000 electrical trade apprenticeships, with apprentices earning while they learn. All will be employed by the SEC (State Electricity Commission of Victoria), which aims to become the largest employer of electrical apprentices in the state.

“We can’t let the apprenticeship pipeline become a pipedream,” said Minister for the State Electricity Commission Lily D’Ambrosio.

“The Liberals cut the SEC — we brought it back. Now it’s supporting a new generation of young people to work on the energy transition, and helping Victorians reduce their power bills and keep the lights on.”

The government said a key benefit of the academy would be that apprentices would work together as well as studying together, thus avoiding the isolation that can cause young people to abandon their apprenticeships.

Apprentices will be placed on a wide range of energy projects, taking advantage of the academy’s industry partnerships. They will have access to world-class training facilities — one in Melbourne and one in regional Victoria.

The government’s Victorian Energy Jobs Plan has projected that energy jobs will grow to about 68,000 by 2040, with around 37% of these jobs in the regions.

“Not only do we have Free TAFE — we’ll now have more young apprentices working on SEC jobs and training in the SEC Apprenticeship Academy, so they can help secure our future,” said Minister for Skills and TAFE Colin Brooks.

The first full intake for the Academy will begin in January 2027.

The news has been welcomed by Powering Skills Organisation (PSO) as a critical step towards achieving Australia’s clean energy and electrification ambitions.

Nonetheless, the energy workforce advocacy group has identified various challenges in sustaining a large increase in apprentices, noting that electrical apprentice numbers are growing faster than the number of employers available to train them.

Between 2020 and 2024, PSO said, apprentice numbers grew about twice as fast as host employer numbers, increasing the training load across a system still dominated by relatively small businesses.

Expanding opportunities for apprentices to enter and complete training will be essential to ensuring Australia has the electricians and energy trades workers needed for Australia’s energy transition, the organisation said.

Image credit: iStock.com/Thurtell