Energy transition programs widen the pathways for First Nations participation
New opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and First Nations organisations are opening at different points in Australia’s energy transition, with support now extending from university study and future careers to the development of First Nations-led clean energy projects.
Two initiatives announced in August are supporting First Nations participation in the energy transition from different directions, with one supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students preparing for careers connected to energy and another helping First Nations organisations take their own clean energy projects closer to investment.
At the University of Newcastle, a $1.5 million commitment from CSIRO will fund scholarships for students across fields ranging from engineering and environmental science to computing and social science.
At the project level, the Australian Government is preparing to open a $10 million pilot grant program for First Nations organisations with clean energy developments that have already moved through feasibility.
Together, the separate initiatives illustrate the breadth of roles First Nations people and organisations can hold as the energy sector changes, from developing the skills required by the industry to leading projects themselves.
From studying energy to working in the sector
The CSIRO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Energy Transition Scholarship has been established for students in their first or second year of eligible University of Newcastle degrees.
Two students each year will receive $15,000 annually for up to five years, providing support worth as much as $75,000 per recipient.
The range of eligible degrees reflects a view of the energy workforce that extends beyond conventional engineering roles.
Renewable energy, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering are among the eligible programs, but the scholarship also covers areas including mathematics, information technology, development studies and social science.
CSIRO Energy Director Dr Dietmar Tourbier said the intention was to create additional pathways into careers associated with the transition.
“By supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to develop skills in energy, science, technology and engineering, our shared aim is to open additional pathways into careers that will continue to attract more talent and drive Australia’s clean energy transition and future prosperity.”
Students can study full-time or part-time, although funding is limited to the standard duration of the original degree and a maximum of five years.
Applications opened on 18 August and will remain open until March 2027.
A pathway into project development
The Australian Government’s First Nations Clean Energy Projects – Pilot Grants program takes the participation question further along the development cycle.
Announced by Federal Minister Chris Bowen at the First Nations Clean Energy Symposium, the program is aimed at First Nations organisations that already have clean energy projects beyond the initial feasibility stage.
Rather than funding early investigations, the grants are intended to help as many as two organisations progress projects towards financial close.
Up to $10 million is available across the program, with individual grants ranging from $1 million to $10 million and funding available for up to 100 per cent of eligible expenditure.
The government also intends to use the pilot to build evidence about what enables greater investment in First Nations clean energy projects and to share lessons from project development with the sector.
Applications open on 1 September and close at 5pm ACT time on 28 September.
Eligible applicants must be First Nations organisations with an Australian business number. The eligible structures include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations, registered land councils and other organisations managing or holding land rights, native title or Traditional Owner-related agreements and settlements.
Other eligible structures are set out in the grant guidelines, and joint applications can be made where both the lead organisation and grant activity partners meet the requirements.
Participation beyond employment
The pilot program is intended to increase opportunities for First Nations people to lead and benefit from clean energy developments, rather than limiting participation to employment generated by projects.
That distinction also sits behind the broader range of disciplines included in the University of Newcastle scholarship.
Bandjin woman and University of Newcastle Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Leadership Loren Collyer said supporting students into STEM could have effects beyond individual recipients.
“These scholarships provide more than financial support for students, they send a powerful message that Indigenous students belong in STEM,” Mrs Collyer said.
The scholarship also recognises the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems to energy-related challenges, while the federal pilot program explicitly identifies economic development and self-determination through First Nations-led clean energy development as its intended outcome.
