Powerlink Queensland has officially launched its interim Queensland SuperGrid Training Centre and Transmission Hub in Gladstone to upskill energy workers and support the changing energy focus in the area.
The hub, located in the Central Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (QREZ), has been constructed in Gladstone while Powerlink finalises the acquisition of a permanent site, with work on the long-term facility set to begin in 2024.
In a media statement, the government said the hub’s opening is a significant catalyst for Powerlink’s regional presence, and it will allow energy employees to be upskilled in a variety of disciplines, including high voltage technical training, each year.
Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Minister Mick de Brenni expressed his positive outlook in the recent announcement, saying the hub will fuel regional Queensland’s energy transition with good-paying jobs.
“Building the SuperGrid is key to unlocking 100,000 new jobs in energy generation, green hydrogen, critical minerals mining and battery manufacturing, so everything we see happening in this busy region is essentially driving the clean energy industrial revolution,” the minister stated.
Minister de Brenni added the facility will help the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan come to life by laying out a clear path for supplying the future’s clean, dependable, and affordable electricity while meeting the state’s renewable energy targets.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister for Energy Lance McCallum noted the significant role this facility would play in supporting the energy transformation in Central Queensland and expressed his pride in officially opening the hub.
“I’m also delighted to introduce the first two new Powerlink recruits based at this hub, Gladstone Hub Facilitator David Mallia and Senior Health, Safety and Environment Representative Samantha Austin,” Minister McCallum remarked.
In the next 10 years, the training centre is expected to employ more than 90 people.
Each year, 500 energy employees will be upskilled in a variety of fields, including high-voltage technical training.
