Several industry leaders will come together at the upcoming Energy
Skills Queensland Annual Conference to discuss workforce productivity issues within
the energy industry in the post-mining boom economy.
Chief Economist with BT Financial Group Dr Chris Caton will join Master
Electricians Australia CEO Malcolm Richards, Electrical Trades Union State
Secretary Peter Simpson and Queensland Resources Council Chief Deputy Officer
Greg Lane for an in-depth panel discussion on what these issues mean for
Queensland’s workforce, during the Energy Skills Queensland (ESQ) Annual
Conference on December 1.
Queensland Resources Council Deputy Chief Executive Greg Lane said it
was important to put the future of the energy sector’s workforce into a global
context with Asia seeking to achieve in decades what has taken centuries in
developed economies.
According to Mr Lane, the International Energy Agency is forecasting
that Australia will become one of the world’s leading coal and gas exporters,
regaining its position as the world’s largest coal exporter before 2030.
Queensland’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments from Gladstone are
also scheduled for next month.
An unprecedented surge in demand for all forms of energy is expected from
close to one quarter of the world’s population. Higher productivity will help
position Australia as a leading supplier in that growth, which would require
more skilled workers.
Assistant Minister for Technical and Further Education Saxon Rice will
officially open the conference.
Dr Stefan Hajkowicz, co-author of the CSIRO’s ground-breaking ‘Our
Future World: Global Megatrends that will change the way we live’, will discuss
the significant shifts in the business, government and community landscapes
over the next 20 years, including resource scarcity, ecosystem diversity,
rising Asian economies, the ageing population, digital technology disruption
and the experience factor for tomorrow’s consumer and citizen.
The Conference will conclude with ESQ’s Annual General Meeting, followed
by a chance for participants and speakers to continue discussing the topics
with post-conference drinks and canapés.
The conference is open to anyone working in the energy industry. The ESQ
Skilling for Productivity Annual Conference will take place at
Brisbane’s Royal International Convention Centre on December 1, 2014.
Energy Skills Queensland is the Industry Intelligence Provider for the
mining (energy), utilities and telecommunications industries.
