Young people will be recruited and armed with the practical skills needed to work on Snowy 2.0 under a landmark partnership between TAFE NSW and the project’s principal contractor, Future Generation Joint Venture, announced today.
The NSW Government is supporting a range of training options for TAFE NSW students giving them the skills needed for the jobs of today.
“An operation like this can only come to life when governments think big about the future of our state and are brave enough to make the necessary commitments to get a project like this moving,” Premier Dominic Perrottet said.
“But right now Snowy 2.0 needs skilled workers ready to roll up their sleeves and get involved. I encourage young people across the state’s south who are looking for an exciting opportunity to consider a future working on this project.”
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said TAFE NSW would train young people through pre-vocational courses, school-based apprenticeships, diploma-level courses and micro-skill short courses, as part of the partnership.
“Snowy 2.0 is a nation-building multi-generational project, and it’s fitting that TAFE NSW plays a pivotal role in training the thousands of people who will make it a reality,” Mr Toole said.
“This program not only prepares young people for work by providing them with practical skills and the job-specific training required to get jobs in this industry, but it future-proofs regional communities by allowing them to upskill close to home.”
Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said TAFE NSW will train hundreds of people in manufacturing and civil construction over the life of the project, including high school students who split their time between school and on-site work.
“Monaro High School has seven school-based apprentices who are studying a Certificate III in Process Manufacturing as part of the program – a big win for the community because it means local kids receive training close to home,” Mr Henskens said.
“TAFE NSW has already trained more than 170 workers for Snowy 2.0. This program will help students get the skills they need to transition smoothly into the workforce and will link what they learn at school to what is needed in the workplace.”
Snowy Hydro CEO Paul Broad said Snowy 2.0 would provide an enduring legacy of delivering jobs and training for hundreds of workers in the region.
“The TAFE NSW partnership goes a long way towards ensuring Snowy Hydro and the Snowy 2.0 project can attract and skill new workers while boosting the local economy and creating critical jobs in the Monaro region,” Mr Broad said.
In coming months TAFE NSW intends to expand the Monaro region’s skills program to include a Certificate III in Civil Construction and several new Aboriginal Pre-Vocational Programs.
