Key Takeaways:
- The energy sector of Australia employs 286,700 workers, pays above-average wages, and skews younger, but continues to struggle with low female and First Nations participation.
- Chronic shortages in electricians, electrical engineers, and refrigeration mechanics reveal structural skill gaps across the labour force.
- Apprenticeship commencements are healthy for electricians but extremely limited in advanced technical occupations such as engineering.
- Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) in NSW and Queensland account for the largest pockets of demand, with electricians forming the biggest share.
- RTOs can use updated training package qualifications to align delivery with industry needs and embed effective strategic workforce planning.
The Powering Skills Organisation has released its Workforce and Training Data Dashboard, giving the clearest view yet of Australia’s labour force in the energy industry. This tool tracks everything from employment levels and wages to apprenticeship commencements and regional demand, helping decision-makers shape the future of the energy sector in Australia.
In this article, we’ll explore the dashboard’s findings in detail. We’ll examine the workforce profile, identify where shortages persist, look at how the training pipeline is performing, and review regional demand trends. Finally, we’ll outline what these insights mean for RTOs, policymakers, and others involved in strategic workforce planning—particularly when it comes to aligning programs with updated training package qualifications.
Understanding the Workforce Profile
The energy sector in Australia currently employs 286,700 people across 112,815 businesses, making it a smaller but highly technical component of the wider labour force of 14.5 million. On average, workers earn $1,672 per week—well above the national median of $1,396—showing how valuable these skills are in maintaining infrastructure and driving the energy transition.
Key profile highlights include:
- A younger workforce with a median age of 35, compared to 38 across all industries
- Only 10.7% working part-time, significantly below the national figure of 31%
- A higher proportion of employing businesses, with just 44% non-employing compared to 61% in the wider labour force
Still, diversity remains an area of concern. Women represent only 17.8% of the sector, far less than the 47.8% share across the national workforce. First Nations workers account for 1.9%, slightly under the national benchmark of 2.1%. These numbers make clear that recruitment and training initiatives must focus on inclusivity if upcoming training package reforms are to succeed.
In short, the workforce is younger, well-paid, and highly skilled but limited in diversity. Tackling these representation gaps is essential to strengthening the resilience of the sector.
Persistent Skills Shortages
The dashboard confirms that shortages in key occupations are not a passing trend but an ongoing challenge. These shortages risk undermining renewable energy projects and broader infrastructure upgrades, making them a critical focus for strategic workforce planning.
Shortage and growth data show:
- Electricians: Listed as in shortage every year since 2021, with demand projected to grow +12.8% by 2034
- Electrical Engineers: Consistently in shortage, with the strongest forecast growth at +20% by 2034
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics: Ongoing shortages, with +4% growth projected
- Electronics and Electrical Distribution Trades: Shortages most years, with moderate projected growth over the decade
These workforce gaps demonstrate that the labour force lacks long-term supply in essential technical roles. For training providers, the most effective solution is aligning delivery to high-demand occupations through relevant training package qualifications.
Training Pipeline and Qualification Trends
Workforce supply depends heavily on the strength of the training pipeline. The dashboard shows that while apprenticeship commencements remain strong in some trades, numbers in technical and professional roles remain too low to meet projected demand.
Apprenticeship commencements in 2024:
- Electricians: 12,780, the largest intake by a wide margin
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics: 2,225
- Electronics Trades: 650
- Electrical Distribution Trades: 655
- Engineers and Draftspersons: Only 5 commencements each
Qualification enrolments in 2023 tell a similar story:
- Electricians: 50,535, reflecting steady and ongoing demand
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics: 7,080, with consistent growth since 2019
- Electrical Engineers: 1,645, after peaking in 2021–22 before tapering off
- Draftspersons/Technicians: 545, down from earlier highs
The training provider mix also varies; TAFEs dominate electrician and engineering training, enterprise RTOs focus on electrical distribution, and private RTOs lead in electronics trades.
For RTOs, the message is clear—training package qualifications must be used to increase enrolments in under-supplied areas. Without targeted growth, the labour force will remain unbalanced, with core trades well-supported but technical professions left short.
Employment Demand in Regional and Renewable Energy Zones (REZ)
Geographic data shows that workforce needs are far from evenly distributed. The dashboard highlights Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) in NSW and Queensland as the most important hotspots for labour demand, reflecting their central role in renewable rollout projects.
Key figures include:
- Electricians: 67,000 jobs, with 15,750 apprentices currently training
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics: 10,500 jobs, with 2,480 apprentices
- Electrical Distribution Trades: 6,300 jobs, supported by 1,100 apprentices
- Electronics Trades: 8,700 jobs, with 660 apprentices
The Hunter-Central Coast REZ is one of the largest, with nearly 7,900 electricians and close to 1,900 apprentices. This concentration highlights how essential it is to direct training to where the demand is greatest. For RTOs, tailoring training package programs to REZ needs ensures learners have immediate job prospects while strengthening the local labour force.
What This Means for Workforce Planning
Together, these insights provide a roadmap for shaping the future of the energy sector in Australia. The sector pays well and employs a younger workforce, but long-term skill shortages, diversity gaps, and uneven regional demand present serious challenges.
For RTOs and policymakers, the priorities are:
- Expanding apprenticeships in shortage-listed occupations
- Fostering diversity within the labour force, particularly women and First Nations participation.
- Updating delivery in line with evolving training package qualifications.
- Prioritising training in Renewable Energy Zones to meet regional project timelines.
By focusing on these areas, stakeholders can ensure that strategic workforce planning strengthens the sector today while preparing for tomorrow’s clean energy demands.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the higher wage profile of the energy sector suggest?
It reflects the high technical demands and responsibilities of roles in the sector, which require advanced skills and qualifications compared to many other industries.
How can RTOs better respond to shortages in engineering roles?
While apprenticeships are rare in engineering, RTOs can build partnerships with universities, expand pathways through higher-level training package qualifications, and encourage more enrolments in specialised programs.
Why is regional demand data critical for workforce planning?
It helps training providers identify where the greatest job opportunities will emerge, allowing them to tailor delivery to ensure local projects have the workforce they need.
What strategies can improve participation of women in the energy sector workforce?
Offering flexible training options, promoting STEM careers to women early, and embedding inclusive practices into training package design can help address gender imbalance.
How does strategic workforce planning benefit beyond the energy industry?
Effective strategic workforce planning ensures a stable pipeline of skilled workers, which boosts productivity, reduces project delays, and strengthens Australia’s overall economic resilience.
Conclusion
The Workforce and Training Data Dashboard is more than a collection of statistics—it is a planning tool that highlights both the opportunities and vulnerabilities of the labour force in the energy sector of Australia.
By applying the insights to training delivery, aligning with training package reforms, and addressing shortages head-on, RTOs and industry leaders can secure a workforce that is both adaptable and future-ready. This is essential to powering Australia’s clean energy transition without delay.
