The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) had joined the launch of the Powering Skills Organisation (PSO) Workforce Plan 2025.

Representing the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) sector at a national level is ARC chief executive Glenn Evans alongside Minister for Skills and Training Hon Andrew Giles and PSO chief executive Anthea Middleton. They will discuss the growing demands for skilled RAC professionals.

Andrew reinforced the significance of strategic workforce planning to meet the growing demands of the clean energy transition. Glenn highlighted the surge in RAC trainee licenses by positioning ARC as a key contributor to the national workforce pipeline.

“The increase in RAC trainees is a strong signal that our sector is responding to the challenge,” he says.

“It’s a positive step toward bridging the gap identified in the PSO Workforce Plan, which forecasts a shortfall of 42,000 qualified energy trades workers by 2030.”

According to the ARC, more than 8,000 trainee licenses were issues in the 2024/25 financial year, reflecting the growing interest in the RAC sector. The ARC has worked closely with training providers while supporting initiatives such as WorldSkills Australia and the NextGen ‘Top 20 under 25’ campaign.

The PSO Workforce Plan identifies nearly 40 strategic actions to boost apprentice commencements, improve diversity and expand training infrastructure.