Queensland SuperGrid Training Centres to upskill 500 workers per year as Powerlink establishes presence in Gladstone

Gladstone will benefit from a new $45m energy training hub that is expected to train up to 500 workers every year. Here’s when the facility will get started.

A $45m energy training hub will be built in Gladstone to serve as a regional base for Queensland’s supergrid and upskill hundreds of workers.

The state government will build one SuperGrid Training Centre and Transmission Hub in the Port City, and another in Townsville, as it looks to “supercharge” the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.

Up t0 500 energy workers each year will benefit from the dedicated facilities and become highly-skilled in a range of areas such as high voltage technical training.

Powerlink's Brett Ferguson and Gary Edwards alongside Energy Minister, Mick De Brenni and Gladstone Mayor, Matt Burnett. Picture: Supplied

It comes after the local council endorsed a ‘Economic Transition Roadmap’, a 10-year plan to become a renewable energy superpower in Central Queensland.

Regional Development Minister and Gladstone MP Glenn Butcher said the centre would continue the city’s proud industrial heritage for generations to come.

“A key focus will be opportunities for apprentices to ensure we can nurture our pipeline of skilled local people as we deliver on our commitments under the Plan,” Mr Butcher said.

The new Hub will boost local training capacity and is expected to host more than 90 jobs over the next decade.

Gladstone MP Glenn Butcher and Energy Minister Mick De Brenni outside the Powerlink site at Gladstone. Picture: Supplied

Ongoing roles at the training facility will include tradespeople; engineers; training officers; health, safety, and environment officers; field staff; and, community and cultural heritage officers.

Powerlink will use an interim site until it acquires a suitable permanent site in Gladstone, with construction expected to begin in 2024.

Powerlink CEO Paul Simshauser said the facility would give Powerlink a local presence in Gladstone and provide a strong regional base to support the energy system transformation.

“The hub will also see improved emergency response times, logistics management and utilisation of regional ports to reduce road haulage,” Mr Simhauser said.

Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said the plan set a clear path to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy for generations.

“Building the Queensland SuperGrid is critical to unlocking 100,000 new jobs in energy generation, green hydrogen, critical minerals mining and battery manufacturing,” Mr de Brenni said.