Associate Director, Kate Gaffney at All Energy 2024
Tennant Burnett's Melbourne based Associate Director and co-founder Kate Gaffney had the privilege of presenting at this year's Clean Energy Council All Energy Conference in Melbourne (October 23-24) .
Kate presented on "Inclusive Transition and Skills Development in Gippsland" as part of her role with Federation University Australia where she is on a twelve month secondment as Manager Renewable Energy Transition in the Latrobe Valley; the heart of Victoria's coal fired electricity sector.
Kate discussed the need for investors and industry to work with education providers from secondary schools and pre-accredited to vocational and university level to craft bespoke solutions for the regional energy transition.
Key among Kate's points was that there are populations of currently under-represented workers and students among the First Nations communities, women and early school leavers who can help address the current skills shortage and through education and employment, enhance sustainable regional development.
Kate was the only speaker from Federation University represented at All Energy this year and was continuing her tireless work to create links between industry, education and investment in the energy transition.
In May 2024 as part of her role with Federation University, Kate was appointed Chair of the Clean Energy Councils' "University Working Group".
In her role at Federation University Kate was also appointed as a founding member of the Steering Committee for the University's Asia Pacific Renewable Energy Training Centre (APRETC) as it expands its operations to Gippsland to meet the local need for high quality renewable energy education and training ahead of the development of Australia's first offshore wind energy zone off the Gippsland coast and other regional energy projects including BESS and hydrogen.
