June 2009
As the discussion paper acknowledges, Australia's future energy security in a low-carbon world depends as much on a highly skilled and adaptable workforce and upon innovation as it does on appropriate investment in infrastructure.
There are a number of university activities that are important to meeting these future skills and knowledge needs of Australia's energy sector, for example:
- Educating professionals in specific disciplines (such as Mining Engineering or Environmental Science) that provide direct skills sought by the energy sector
- Offering course units or course material in broader degrees (e.g. Economics, Management) that provide graduates with an understanding of issues relevant to a career in energy
- Supervising PhD and other higher degree by research students undertaking research training on relevant topics, who may go on to university or industry based research roles, or in many cases will go into generalist management careers in the energy sector
- Undertaking non-award teaching, for example professional short courses developed in conjunction with particular enterprises or industries
- Providing consultancy and other commercial services for energy sector entities including government in policy formation
- Undertaking collaborative research and development projects that share the skills and experience of university staff in an applied context.
To read the full submission, download the PDF below.
