The Albanian government and Minnesota Labor are investing $28.1 million, plus an additional $5.27 million in federal funding to support the center.

This will accelerate the development of a higher learning model focused on the advanced skills required for carbon neutral manufacturing.

The upgraded center will play a central role in developing new skills for Hunter workers, investing in their futures.

This will provide access to jobs in the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone and provide the skilled workforce required to support the renewable energy sector.

The Center of Excellence:

• grow the workforce to support the renewable energy industry through technology-integrated learning, increasing access to training in regional and remote areas of northern NSW via units mobile training
• create a national renewable energy micro-skills marketplace, enabling TAFEs across Australia to share and access non-accredited digital courses related to the renewable energy industry
• implement a higher apprenticeship model, integrating vocational education and training (VET) and higher education by combining essential vocational skills such as electrotechnology, welding and manufacturing, with higher level units in emerging areas such as digital technologies.

The Center will also draw on partnerships between TAFE NSW, universities and local industry to pilot qualification models providing parity of status between VET and higher education.

This follows the September announcement of the Western Sydney Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence and is the second of three TAFE NSW Manufacturing Centers of Excellence, strengthening advanced manufacturing skills training and rebuilding land-based manufacturing capabilities .

Increasing the number of apprentices – particularly in trades such as electrotechnology, engineering, manufacturing and mechatronics – is key to ensuring New South Wales and Australia have the skills needed to make the transition of mining, energy and manufacturing industries to a clean energy economy.

This will help it meet demand for net zero training to support the decarbonization of the mining and manufacturing sectors as Australia moves to net zero emissions by 2050.

The Center will also support both governments’ commitment to rebuilding our local manufacturing capacity, including providing the skilled workforce needed to build and maintain the NSW Tanager fleet locally.

The Albanian government is investing $325 million under the five-year National Skills Deal, which started on January 1, to establish a network of up to 20 TAFE Centers of Excellence in areas requiring high skills.

These centers will help provide skilled manpower to strategically important industries to address national challenges.

Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Antony Albanese:

“Investing in a made-in-Australia future means investing in the skills and training the sector will need in the years to come.

“The Hunter has a proud history of industry and manufacturing – which is why it is the ideal location for this center of excellence.

“This builds on skills that are already part of the DNA of this region. »

Quotes attributable to NSW Premier Chris Minns:

“We are continuing to establish three TAFE Centers of Excellence in NSW, a key part of our commitment to providing fully subsidized training to an additional 1,000 apprenticeships per year in advanced manufacturing and related industries.

“The Hunter region is an energy and manufacturing powerhouse and we are proud to partner with the Albanian Government to create this training center to ensure the local community and industry have the skills needed to benefit from the energy transition.

“This is part of our plan to provide reliable, affordable energy and reduce emissions.”

Quotes attributable to Minister of Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:

“The Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Center of Excellence is a great example of partnership between the Australian Government and the States to place TAFE at the heart of the VET sector.

“This center of excellence in net-zero manufacturing will strengthen the VET system by providing responsive, high-quality skills training in the clean manufacturing economy.

“This will strengthen collaboration between universities and the VET sector. It will provide the skills and knowledge our manufacturing job market needs, as we accelerate our ambitions for net zero emissions and an Australian-made future.

“I look forward to working with NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Higher Education, Steve Whan, as together we build a high-performing, fairer and more competitive VET sector. dynamic, to train Australians for the future.

Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan:

“Skilled workers are vital to supporting NSW’s transition to net zero and clean energy and strengthening our land-based manufacturing capabilities in resources, aviation, defense and transport.

“The second of three TAFE NSW Manufacturing Centers of Excellence, the TAFE NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Center of Excellence – Newcastle/Hunter will provide opportunities to upskill our workforce so they can take full advantage of opportunities offered by renewable manufacturing.

“The Minns Government, like the Albanian Government, is primarily focused on building more in Australia, from our energy transition to ensuring we have the skills to build our next trains here in NSW. That’s what it’s about.