Lighting the Way: Attracting and Empowering the Clean Energy Workforce brought together industry experts, students, and academics to address one of the sector’s most pressing challenges: creating a diverse and capable workforce to drive the clean energy transition.
Hosted by UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute in November 2024, the afternoon event was full of insightful talks and panel discussions exploring career pathways, education, and innovative solutions to overcome workforce shortages.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our speakers and participants for making the day a success:
- Danny Kennedy - New Energy Nexus’ Catalyst Fund, Venture Partner
- Jacqueline Crawshaw - Energy Consumers Australia, Director Policy Energy Services and Markets
- Rik Irons-Mclean - Microsoft ANZ, Chief Technology Officer
- Dr. Hua Chai - UNSW Sydney, Microcredential Content Developer
- Angela Le - Student Energy UNSW, Co-President
- Hamish Teasdale - Student Energy UNSW, Co-President
We're thrilled to now share the event with you all through on-demand videos.
Introduction and Event Overview – Sharon Swift & Prof. John Fletcher
Learn about the clean energy workforce landscape, including the challenges and opportunities ahead. DGFI’s achievements—$6.5M in funding and interdisciplinary collaboration across 41 faculties—demonstrate the transformative power of research.
Key takeaway: Building a workforce for the energy transition requires breaking barriers, engaging early, and leveraging global talent pools.
Pathways Accelerating Clean Energy – Dr. Hua Chai
The PACE project outlines how tailored pathways can mobilise talent from K-12 students to professionals transitioning from traditional energy industries.
Key takeaway: Personalised skills mapping and cross-sector education are crucial for scaling a clean energy workforce.
Student Energy: Bridging Education and Industry through Interdisciplinarity – Angela Le & Hamish Teasdale
Discover how Student Energy UNSW empowers students from all disciplines to engage in clean energy leadership.
Key takeaway: Green careers need skills from finance to design. The clean energy transition is societal, not just technical.
Attracting Students to a Clean Energy Career (Panel Discussion)
Moderated by Prof. John Fletcher, this discussion highlights the importance of interdisciplinary education and skills-based frameworks to build a sustainable talent pipeline.
Key takeaway: Innovative learning models and cross-discipline collaboration are vital to overcoming skill gaps.
Future Clean Energy Workforce: Emerging Blindspots and Disruptors (Panel Discussion)
From AI-driven turbine maintenance to consumer trust, this panel examines how technology and global insights are shaping the future of energy.
Key takeaway: Integrating technology with consumer-focused strategies and global best practices is key to accelerating the clean energy transition.
We hope these videos inspire action and collaboration. Join us in building a clean energy workforce for a brighter future! Watch the full video series on YouTube.