Council
3 August, 2026
Ermacora confident of workforce boost
MEMBER for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora believes that, under Labor, Victoria’s energy workforce will grow by 50 per cent by 2040.
“The Victorian Energy Jobs Plan puts regional Victoria at the heart of this energy jobs boom,” she said.
“The plan will deliver over 2000 energy jobs across south west Victoria, including Warrnambool, which means $2.3 billion in wages going directly to local workers from 2026 to 2040.”
Ms Ermacora said those jobs were part of the almost 16,000 jobs Labor was creating across regional Victoria, and 68,000 across the state.
“They will be critical as Victoria works towards 95 per cent renewable energy generation by 2035,” she said.
“In demand jobs include electricians, mechanical engineering trades workers, construction, distribution and production managers, clerical and administrative workers, and ICT managers.”
According to Ms Ermacora, TAFE and tech schools are central to this plan.
“We’ve guaranteed free TAFE and are building the new Building Innovation and Design Centre at South West TAFE.
“We’re investing $12.65 million in the new South West Tech School and we have brought back the SEC and SEC Apprenticeship Academy to train 2,000 electrical trade apprentices over the next four years.”
She believes only Labor would maintain the lowest electricity prices in the country, delivering the replacement energy infrastructure needed to keep the lights on and put regional jobs first.
“The last Liberal government sacked more than 2,000 TAFE teachers, shut 22 TAFE campuses and ripped $1 billion from TAFEs – including slashing 70 jobs from South West TAFE,” she claimed.
“Investment in renewables ground to a halt due to their planning restrictions. More than $4 billion in investment left the state and they will do it again if elected.”
Ms Ermacora also added she believed Jess Wilson’s Liberal One Nation Coalition will stop the energy transition, rip this $18 billion in wages from regional workers, and sack one in seven public service jobs through their $40 billion cuts agent.
To access the plan and strategy visit energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/our-energy-workforce
