Australia’s renewable energy rollout is under threat unless urgent action is taken to address the nation’s engineering skills shortfall, Engineers Australia has warned.
In a submission to the Treasurer’s Economic Reform Roundtable, the peak body called for a government-led “engineering surge” to expand workforce capacity and remove systemic barriers that are slowing progress on energy transition projects.
“An urgent, concentrated effort to grow, strengthen and secure our national engineering capability is crucial to driving efficiency, economic growth and reform, infrastructure development, and advancing sectors ranging from renewable energy to advanced manufacturing,” said Engineers Australia National President Dr Raj Aseervatham.
The profession is already grappling with widespread shortages, with over 60 per cent of engineers working in sectors central to Australia’s net zero ambitions – power, utilities, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.
These sectors account for 70 per cent of national R&D and exports. Engineers Australia estimates 70,000 engineers are set to retire by 2035, and is calling for a national target of 60,000 new engineering graduates to meet future demand.
The submission makes clear that expanding renewable energy capacity will rely on more than just capital investment – it requires policy reform to build and mobilise the technical workforce.
Among its recommendations is the immediate commissioning of a rapid-response workforce report to provide timely, evidence-based advice to inform energy transition planning.
The group also urged the federal government to establish a Chief Engineer role to embed technical expertise in high-level decisions on energy infrastructure.
“Given the volume of productivity and reform initiatives the Australian Government is seeking to deliver, embedding technical expertise at senior levels will ensure decision-making is informed by rigorous technical advice,” the submission states.
To support labour mobility in renewable energy and construction projects, Engineers Australia also wants harmonised licensing and registration for professional engineers, replacing the current fragmented system of eight jurisdictional schemes.
It argued this reform should be linked to access to the $900 million National Productivity Fund.
“Achieving national consistency in engineering registration could have the same safety, productivity and labour force mobility benefits the Australian Government has identified in harmonising the licensing of ~200,000 electricians,” said Dr Aseervatham.
Other measures relevant to the energy sector include:
- Extending prac payments to engineering students, to reduce attrition from the pipeline
- Creating a Digital by Default Taskforce to modernise infrastructure delivery
- Reforming major government procurement contracts to reward innovation in energy system design and delivery
Without urgent action, the submission warns, Australia risks bottlenecks that could delay or derail its renewable energy ambitions.