NSW Skills for Net Zero

We’re helping businesses build their net zero workforce by engaging, matching and connecting talented tertiary students with paid internship opportunities at workplaces. 

A highly skilled workforce is essential for NSW to successfully transition to a low-carbon economy and achieve net zero by 2050. However, there are several challenges. These include skills gaps and labour shortages.   That’s why we need to build new capabilities to support our emerging technologies and deliver decarbonisation services and projects. 

From engineers and scientists to accountants and policy advisors, tertiary students can use their qualifications to join the growing workforce for a net zero future.

CSIRO is delivering this NSW Government-funded pilot initiative.

Benefits for your business

NSW Skills for Net Zero helps your business build its net zero workforce while guiding NSW tertiary students to a net zero career pathway. 

You can:

• access a talented pool of tertiary student interns to help address your skilled workforce shortages
• receive end-to-end recruitment and placement support from CSIRO’s experienced team throughout the internship
• build long-term talent pipelines, with the potential to retain interns and reduce future recruitment and onboarding costs
• receive up to $2,500 to help cover your intern’s wages (paid upon successful completion of the placement)
• enjoy flexible placement options, with the ability to host interns part-time or full-time at any time during the year
• showcase your organisation’s commitment to decarbonisation across NSW.

Student interns can:

• gain at least 200 hours of paid work experience, earning a minimum of $25 per hour under a formal employment contract
• work on a real-world project focused on decarbonisation in NSW
• receive end-to-end support from a dedicated CSIRO team throughout onboarding, placement, and completion
• receive tailored guidance from a workplace mentor or supervisor who provides training and support
• build valuable industry connections that may lead to future job opportunities.

Eligibility

Businesses  

CSIRO will connect participating businesses with a high quality and skilled tertiary student intern to support projects contributing to net zero in NSW.    

To be eligible, your business must:

• have a decarbonisation-focused project based in NSW that a tertiary student intern can work on for a minimum of 200 paid hours at a minimum of $25 per hour plus any superannuation entitlements   
• have support from your executive team to host a placement
• hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN), have been operating in NSW for more than 12 months and have a minimum of 5 employees
• be an Australian entity (excluding government and education institutions)
• not be listed on the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade sanctions list
• appoint a supervisor within your workplace with relevant skills to support and mentor the student
• be willing to provide feedback on your hosting experience
• ensure you can provide a workplace placement that is safe and appropriate for the student.

Examples of eligible decarbonisation-focused workplace projects include, but are not limited to:

• sustainable finance
• future energy systems 
• new generation renewable energy and storage
• EV services and e-mobility 
• long-haul transport and non-road machinery 
• embodied carbon for building and infrastructure 
• biomanufacturing and synthetic biology 
• power-to-X 
• carbon dioxide removal 
• sustainable land management 
• agtech and agriculture decarbonisation projects.

Students

To be eligible, students must:

• be in their penultimate or final year of study in a relevant qualification at Certificate IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Bachelor, or Honours level with a current credit-average or higher
• be an Australian citizen or permanent resident currently residing in NSW and able to enter an employment contract
• meet general criteria during the application stage (communication skills, aptitude, attitude)
• not be an existing employee or intern (paid or unpaid) of the host workplace being applied to
• be willing to provide feedback on their placement experience.  

Examples of relevant qualifications include, but are not limited to:

• finance including carbon accounting
• climate science
• project management
• chemistry
• behavioural science
• policy
• engineering
• urban planning
• communications
• marine science
• sustainability
• design and creative arts
• geography
• agriculture
• architecture
• computer science
• economics
• forestry
• law.

How to apply

For more information, including full eligibility, guidelines and how to apply, visit the CSIRO website.

Apply now

Contact  

If you have any questions about this initiative or your application, email [email protected]

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