Symposium to help industry shift to low-carbon economy

Australian industry is experiencing a paradigm shift with the introduction of a carbon price on 1 July 2012. To help industry effectively transition to become competitive in a global low-carbon economy, the Carbon Market Institute is bringing together academia and industry to identify and address the skills, competencies and capabilities required.

In a one-day Academic Symposium, industry representatives will share their views and expertise outlining the capacity and knowledge gaps that need addressing through the provision of high-quality education and training courses.

“With carbon pricing present and real in Australia, businesses are all too aware there are skills gaps to be filled,” said Carbon Market Institute Executive Director Mike Tournier.

“At the same time, Australia’s leading educators are keen to understand exactly what industry needs so they can develop their coursework to fill the gaps.”

All aspects of business will be impacted by the carbon price, and high-calibre speakers from legal, accounting, engineering, energy, finance, commerce, environment and agribusiness sectors will discuss their organisation’s strategies to deal with the carbon price and their organisation’s future human capital needs.

CMI Education and Professional Standards Manager Peter Robertson said: “This academic symposium offers first-hand the opportunity for universities and TAFEs to hear directly from industry what skills and knowledge will create the graduates who will underpin Australian industry’s competitive advantage in the future.

“Academics, who have expressed a desire to hear from industry experts, understand a new set of skills across many disciplines is required to support the transformation of our economy because of a price of carbon. With other nations embracing emissions trading schemes, Australia stands a good chance of being the ‘go to’ nation for carbon market expertise and training in the future.”

With global carbon markets forecast to grow to over $20 trillion by 2020, this symposium offers academic staff associated with course development, VET practitioners and educational policy makers an important strategic forum to discuss the educational needs of this rapidly developing international and domestic market.

“With a skills gap to be filled, there are opportunities for universities to obtain a strategic advantage through the provision of high-quality education that meets industry’s needs,” said Robertson.

The CMI Academic Symposium, ‘Building Capacity for the New Low Carbon Economy’, will be held at The University of Melbourne on 3 July 2012. The program and registration details are available here.