ENERGY INDUSTRY TAKES ACTION TO ADDRESS SKILLS GAP

Mike Griffin
23rd April 2007, 11:20am

The Australian Power Institute (API) is stepping up its efforts to provide the extra 700 professional engineers needed over the next five years to ensure the future viability of Australia’s power industry.

In 2006 the API invited universities to submit proposals to improve the outlook for power engineering, including potential collaboration between education institutions.

With API funding of $500,000, the University of Technology Sydney, Curtin University of Technology and Monash University have been selected to develop agreed activities for the next 12 months, the API’s Chief Executive, Mike Griffin, said.

“The energy industry, through the API, is looking to fund universities to develop courses at the undergraduate, post graduate and professional development level to provide the people and skills in power engineering needed for the future,” Mr Griffin said.

“We’re serious about encouraging first year undergraduate students to consider power engineering as an exciting career choice with excellent job prospects”.

“We’re working with universities to implement a bursary program across Australia and we’ll distribute resources on power engineering for use by school career guidance staff.”

The API is engaging university schools to update them on the state of the industry.

“One issue we’ve identified is the lag between the perception of the power industry among many university academics and the reality of the industry today,” Mr Griffin said.

However, I’ve been encouraged by the willingness of a number of universities to work collaboratively to provide access for all power engineering students to the specialist expertise of academics across the country, not just at their university”.

“In this time of shortages of academic resources, teaching the full spectrum of power engineering fundamentals using available expertise at universities across the country makes sense,” Mr Griffin said.

The API serves Australia’s $100 billion electricity sector which currently employs approximately 5,000 professional engineers.

Media contact: Mike Griffin-Chief Executive, Mobile 0419643795

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