The federal Labor Party has committed to expanding courses focused on the renewable energy and sustainable development industries at Eden-Monaro TAFE campuses if elected next month, announcing it will invest $2 million in the education facilities.
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The party's spokesperson for skills, TAFE and apprenticeships senator Doug Cameron made the promise on Monday.
In a joint statement with member for Eden-Monaro Mike Kelly, he said Labor would work with the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project and the Softwoods Working Group companies to ensure Cooma, Tumut and Yass TAFE's could deliver skills local workers would need in the future.
Dr Kelly said he had also spoken to TransGrid to understand local job opportunities for people who participated in the courses.
He said renewable energy and sustainable development industry jobs must stay as local as possible for the sake of young people and transitioning workers in the region.
"It is not acceptable for this demand to be met by fly-in-fly-out or 457-style visa workers," Mr Kelly said.
"The investment will modernise TAFE facilities and technology to enable industry-standard skill development for the jobs being created in renewable energy and sustainable production."
The commitment would also assist with Labor's renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2030, as well as the party's proposed investment in more plantation resources under its carbon farming initiative if elected.
Dr Kelly explained that more trees would help to reduce the carbon levels in our atmosphere and that there were around 250,000 hectares in Eden-Monaro that could be allocated to plantations.
Labor has also committed to investing $380 million to waive the upfront fees for 100,000 TAFE students if elected.