Renewable energy employment in Australia has continuously shown improvement over the last five years. This is good news for the clean energy industry and jobseekers specialising in various disciplines in this sector.
IRENA 2019 Report
In his message in the Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2019 from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Francesco La Camera, the Director-General at IRENA, stated that the renewable energy sector is indeed offering many employment opportunities around the globe.
He stated, “Renewable energy delivers on all main pillars of sustainable development: environmental, economic, and even social. Alongside declining costs and steadily improving technologies, the transition to renewables is also creating numerous employment opportunities.”
“The sector now employs at least 11 million people worldwide, with more countries manufacturing, trading, and installing renewable energy technologies every year. As the global energy transformation continues to gain momentum, this employment dimension ensures socio-economic sustainability and provides yet another reason for countries to commit to renewables.”
ABS Statistics
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia had 17, 740 direct, full-time renewable energy employment in the 2017-2018 FY. This is the highest level since the 2011-2012 FY. Green Energy Markets also shared that renewable energy employment in Australia has reached 10,100 jobs in wind power, 7,700 people in large-scale solar projects, and 7,800 for rooftop solar.
The sector also looks promising because the job vacancies in are not only in the usual engineering and research fields. Companies are now also hiring for law, finance, and recruitment – paving a way for more job opportunities for Australians who seek employment in this rapidly growing energy sector.
A report from 2016 has already predicted the boom in this sector. Based on the Renewable Energy Jobs: Future Growth in Australia report by the Climate Council, across the period of 2014 to 2030, over 80% of full-time employment created by 50% Renewable Energy (50RE) will be beneficial to the economy.
Phillip Riley
To help businesses find the perfect candidate and for jobseekers to explore potential careers in renewable energy in Australia, Phillip Riley offers consultancy and assistance in the recruitment process. Dozens of jobs are posted every day on its website and hundreds of people were already hired through them.