The Labor Government has announced a new training pilot for Victorian plumbers and fourth-year plumbing apprentices to gain specialist solar skills.
The Government via Solar Victoria has engaged the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) to develop and run the training pilot.
The targeted training will support Victorian plumbing industry workers to gain specialised new skills in both the design and installation of heat pumps and solar hot water systems.
“Victoria’s solar and renewable energy sector is booming and demand for a skilled workforce will grow significantly over the next decade, as we target a 50 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030,” says Minister Solar Homes Lily D’Ambrosio.
“This is an excellent opportunity for Victoria’s plumbing workforce to upskill for the transition to solar and heat pump hot water for free and I encourage all who are eligible to enrol when the training opens.”
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Following an evaluation of the pilot, plumbers and fourth-year apprentices will be able to access free training from the end of this year through to late 2023.
The training is part of a suite of new initiatives in the Government’s $11 million training and workforce development package, which is aimed at upskilling workers to take advantage of the state’s transition to net zero.
Any eligible plumbing professionals keen to develop skills in designing and installing heat pumps and solar hot water systems are encouraged to keep an eye on the Solar Victoria website for further details on how to enrol in the training.
Training will be available in a blended format of face-to-face and online learning across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
For further information, please visit solar.vic.gov.au/upskilling-plumbers.