The Collie Jobs and Skills Centre: supporting workers' transition
Collie, located around 200 kilometres south of Perth, has powered Western Australia for decades through coal mining and coal-fired power stations.
As the town transitions away from coal-fired power generation, the community is preparing for the future. To ensure no one is left behind, the WA Government has invested more than $700 million into Collie and the surrounding region to support its economic transition away from coal.
Supporting the community through the transition
The Collie Jobs and Skills Centre provides specialist support for the local workforce, community and businesses, including training needs plans and skills gap analysis.
The opening of the centre in 2022 is part of the wider WA Government’s initiative to help provide opportunities for workers and the community in Collie. The initiative looks to make sure there will continue to be well-paid, local jobs in the region as they shift from a coal-dependent economy to a more diverse and sustainable future.
Kathy Keay, Director of Strategic Partnerships, South Regional TAFE, WA said the centre is an important anchor for the community as it navigates change.
‘The Collie Jobs and Skills Centre is important because it is an asset to the community of Collie while they’re in an era of change,’ Kathy said.
Supporting power station workers
Natalie Cook, former manager at the Collie Jobs and Skills Centre said they’ve had people come in with all kinds of ideas, from rough business plans to real estate ventures.
‘The two that are particularly close to my heart, are our local pizza bar on wheels, Muja Pizza Bar on wheels and Drone Elevation,’ she added.
After working at the Muja Power Station in Collie 38 years, Pusky Crescenzi was offered a voluntary redundancy as part of the town’s phased shift away from coal. He decided to take the redundancy and launch a pizza business on wheels, similar to the restaurant his parents owned before retiring.
Pusky is grateful to the team at the Collie Jobs and Skills Centre for their support during his transition from the Muja Power Station.
‘You can talk to them about anything and if they haven’t got the answer, they’ll find an answer for you. They’ll put you on the right track,’ Pusky said.
Read about Pusky’s transition journey
Adrian Taylor, currently works at one of Collie’s power stations. When the closures were announced, he decided to start planning for the future.
‘When they announced the closure of the coal-fired power (station), I had to do something. I was a bit too young to retire. My wife came up with the idea of a drones,’ Adrian said.
‘At first I said no, I wasn’t interested, then she bought a mini, and then that became mine, and then I said wouldn’t it be nice to make a living out of this?’ he said.
Adrian and his wife Sharen decided to pursue a future in drones and started a business, Drone Elevation, which will help develop mapping services for the region.
Pusky and Adrian received support from the team at the Collie Jobs and Skills Centre and funding from the Collie Futures Small Grants Program to help launch their businesses.
How the Authority is supporting Collie
Collie offers the opportunity to demonstrate how the transition process can be managed when the federal and state governments and communities work together in partnership to invest in the future of a region.
The Authority is working with stakeholders in Collie to build on the strong foundation established by the Just Transition Working Group (JTWG) and its alignment with the Future Made in Australia agenda. The JTWG was established in 2018 as part of Collie’s Just Transition and brings together government, community, industry and unions, ensuring decision-making considers the affected workforce and broader community.
Our focus has been to understand what is required to develop new industries and create employment pathways for transitioning workers in Collie. This includes exploring options to enable new industrial land and attract investment and considering how the Authority’s Energy Industry Jobs Plan for Collie can support workers and communities ahead of the scheduled closure of the Collie Power Station in 2027.