Hide message
EnergyAustralia is today hosting a careers fair as part of its $10 million Yallourn Transition Program, helping employees reskill and be job-ready ahead of the Yallourn power station’s retirement in 2028.
Mark Collette, Managing Director of EnergyAustralia, said supporting the workforce and community that has contributed to powering Australian lives for over a century is incredibly important.
“Generations of families have worked here, and we want to make sure that this community is well set up to play a leading role in Australia’s low carbon future.
“Our focus is not just on transitioning the Australian electricity grid to net zero, it’s about making sure our people and communities can make the most of the clean energy transition, or are well positioned for opportunities in other sectors,” said Mr Collette.
In November 2022, EnergyAustralia established its pioneering Yallourn Transition Program, offering employees the chance to retrain and prepare for new opportunities. Available to all Yallourn workers, the program provides services to help plan, prepare, and upskill for the future, whether they are seeking new employment, considering retirement, or exploring self-employment.
“As at May 2024, the majority of our Yallourn workforce have created individual transition plans. Many are using funding to undertake formal trade certificate qualifications, or to support further learning, some in unrelated fields such as, communications, nursing, teaching, engineering, environmental science, digital marketing, Auslan, and project management,” continued Mr Collette.
Vendors attending the careers fair include Ace Training, Bendigo Mining Association, CBUS, Chisholm, Defence Forces, Directioneering, Equip Super, Federation University, Gippsland Trades and Labour Council, Latrobe Regional Hospital, TAFE Gippsland, Learn Locals, Marinus Link, Protect, RGM Financial, RTL, Sonder, Southerly Ten (formerly Star of the South), Ventia and more.
Case studies of Yallourn workers learning new skills as part of the transition program.
Tash Agafonoff, Unit Controller at Yallourn, said she started her career as a power station chemist, and is now studying a Master of Arts in Writing and Literature, looking to pursue a career in communications.
“A career pivot isn’t a new thing for me. I started as a power station chemist, then moved into operations. My studies in writing and literature, will hopefully take me into an exciting career path in public relations, marketing or social media.”
James Kelly, Rigger in the Maintenance Response Team, is currently studying a Master’s in Environmental Science, an area he has long had an interest in.
“I’m particularly interested in catchment management, ecology and biodiversity. The field of environmental science is broad and of increasing importance, so I know there are plenty of exciting opportunities in a world beyond 2028.”
The careers fair follows a recent report on the training pathways for coal workers interested in making the switch to the offshore wind sector. The report, authored by EnergyAustralia, Southerly Ten, Federation University and TAFE Gippsland, was developed to outline the opportunities for coal workers and students to reskill for careers in Gippsland’s emerging offshore wind industry.
Media contact: Jacinta Smith: jacinta.smith@energyaustralia.com.au