Energy Skills Queensland

What Energy Skills Queensland does

Energy Skills Queensland (ESQ) is an independent Brisbane-based not-for-profit industry skills organisation operating as the formal conduit between Queensland's energy industry employers, training organisations, and government. Founded around 2008 under ABN 19 551 585 399 and headquartered in Toowong, ESQ serves power generators (Stanwell, CS Energy, CleanCo), industry associations and unions, private and government-owned contractors, the education sector, wholesalers and retailers, and disadvantaged job seekers across Queensland. The organisation has delivered 25 projects spanning Gold Coast to Townsville since 2015 and has graduated 575 participants with full qualifications through the Queensland Workforce Skilling Strategy, with a 55.5% employment placement rate since January 2011.

ESQ's product portfolio centres on SkillPASS, an industry competency management system launched in 2011 that enables workers to demonstrate proof of competency for regulatory compliance, tracks expiring qualifications, and supports audit and reporting across energy sector employers. The portfolio extends to Workforce Planning services that generate industry intelligence and benchmarking profiles, training programs (Generic Induction for mining safety, Head Start Pilot for apprentices, Regional Employment Trials, Safety Leadership using the LEAD model), and digital tools including the Hydrogen Transitions App (funded by DESBT, March 2024) and Worker Pathways App. Sector-specific initiatives include Women in Electricity (supporting up to 60 female electrical apprentices per program cycle), Industry Workforce Advisor (IWA), and Gateway to Industry Schools Programs for hydrogen (GISPH2) and renewable energy (GISP_RE). ESQ operates a Hydrogen Skills Australia subsidiary and a workforce placement services arm.

Revenue is generated through three streams: government funding from Federal and State programs (with over $5 million sourced via the Queensland Workforce Skilling Strategy), membership fees from industry partners subject to Board approval, and training and program services delivered through Registered Training Organisations including TAFE Queensland, Site Skills Training, and Competency Training. The organisation is governed by a board of senior executives from major energy industry stakeholders and is led by CEO David Cross. With 11-50 employees, ESQ operates on a community-led go-to-market model leveraging events (FastTrackEnergy October 2025), conferences, workshops, industry publications, and formal research outputs to maintain stakeholder engagement.

Name

Energy Skills Queensland

Legal name

Energy Skills Queensland

Website

https://energyskillsqld.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Energy Skills Queensland is an independent Brisbane-based not-for-profit industry skills organisation serving as the conduit between Queensland's energy employers, training providers, and government, delivering workforce planning, competency management (SkillPASS), training programs, and emerging-sectors skills initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development and Skills Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Utilities (Electric, Gas & Water) (EDABALBB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Energy (Oil, Gas & Renewables) (EDABALAJ), Energy Systems & Power Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAG)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Skills and training programs
• Industry intelligence reporting
• Competency management systems
• Vocational education advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Toowong

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Energy Skills Queensland sources funding from Federal and State Governments to conduct workforce skilling programs. The Queensland Workforce Skilling Strategy (QWSS) provides funding framework. They have received above $5 million in SQW Funding for training and employment programs.
2. Membership Fees: Energy Skills Queensland offers membership to industry partners with benefits including events, participation in industry groups, discounts, influence over policy, funding assistance, and exclusive data. Membership is conditional on Board approval.
3. Training and Program Services: Delivers training programs including Generic Induction for mining, Head Start Pilot Program, Regional Employment Trials, and Safety Leadership programs. Programs include nationally recognised training, pre-employment screening, and ongoing support services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Energy Skills Queensland is an independent not-for-profit industry skills organisation that delivers workforce planning, industry intelligence, training programs, and competency management services to Queensland's energy, mining, gas, telecommunications, and renewable sectors. Its core deliverables include the SkillPASS competency management system, workforce planning and skills needs analysis, training and induction programs (e.g., Generic Induction, Head Start Pilot, Safety Leadership), and digital career-pathway tools such as the Hydrogen Transitions and Worker Pathways apps.

Product overview

Energy Skills Queensland offers a portfolio of workforce development products and services for the energy, mining, telecommunications, gas and related industries in Queensland. The core offerings center on SkillPASS (competency management system) for tracking worker qualifications and competencies, and Workforce Planning services for industry intelligence and workforce analysis. Supporting these core services are Training programs including Generic Induction for mining safety, the Head Start Pilot Program for electrical apprentices, Regional Employment Trials for youth, and Safety Leadership using the LEAD model. Industry-specific initiatives include Women in Electricity for female trade apprentices, Hydrogen Transitions app for emerging hydrogen sector careers, and Gateway to Industry Schools Programs (GISPH2 and GISPRE) for school-to-work pathways. The Industry Workforce Advisor (IWA) service connects small businesses with government funding and workforce planning support, while the Worker Pathways App supports job seekers and career changers. Together these products form a comprehensive ecosystem addressing workforce attraction, development, retention, and competency assurance across the energy sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SkillPASS: Industry competency management system that enables workers to provide proof of competency to comply with company, project and regulatory requirements.
• Hydrogen Skills Australia
• Gateway to Industry Schools Program – Hydrogen (GISPH2)
• Gateway to Industry Schools Program – Renewable Energy (GISP_RE)
• Worker Pathways App
• Women in Electricity
• Generic Induction
• Industry Workforce Advisor (IWA)

Products and services

• SkillPASS An industry competency management system that enables energy sector workers to provide proof of competency to comply with company, project and regulatory requirements. It manages workforce skills and qualifications in a single secure location, tracks expiring competencies, and assists with organisational and regulatory reporting.
• Workforce Planning Industry intelligence and workforce planning service that examines current and future workforce data to identify skills needs and workforce risks. It analyses employee data to create workforce profiles of specific industry sectors and enables company benchmarking.
• Generic Induction (GI) Training and assessment program for the Resources and Infrastructure Industry (RII) Units of Competency specified in Recognised Standard 11 for coal mines. Provides essential skills and knowledge of legislation, communication protocols and safety procedures for surface coal mines.
• Industry Workforce Advisor (IWA) Program to support small and medium enterprises to address workforce challenges, diversify their workforces, and support workforce growth through workforce plans and access to government programs and funding initiatives.
• Women in Electricity Program designed for female apprentices in the electrical trade across Queensland, providing mentoring, networking, and professional development over a 12-month period with weekly support (limited to 60 women per program cycle).
• Hydrogen Transitions App A structured app for students, apprentices, and early-career professionals to map their skills to emerging hydrogen job roles, explore accredited training programs, industry-recognised certifications, and career pathways tailored to the evolving energy landscape.
• Worker Pathways App Mobile application for job seekers, career changers, and anyone facing barriers to employment. Features include tailored career pathways, job-ready skills resources, training provider connections, Women in Electricity program integration, and progress tracking with resume building and digital business card capabilities.
• Head Start Pilot Program Industry-designed pilot program providing Year 12 school leavers with a head start in their electrical apprenticeship through intensive first-year training at TAFE Queensland.
• Regional Employment Trials Employment trials program providing job readiness skills, entry-level qualifications, and support network for disadvantaged young people in the Townsville and Mount Isa regions.
• Safety Leadership Program Workforce development program using the LEAD model framework to create capable and confident safety leaders who contribute to a positive safety culture in energy and resources workplaces.
• ESQ Membership Program Membership offering for industry partners providing access to events, participation in industry groups, member discounts, influence over policy, funding assistance, and exclusive data; subject to Board approval.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55.5% of Queensland Workforce Skilling Strategy participants have gained employment in the energy industry since January 2011
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Site Skills TrainingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining partner for delivery of Generic Induction and other training programs. Site Skills Training delivers programs in mining (surface) and other resource industry training alongside Energy Skills Queensland.
• Competency TrainingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining partner for delivery of Generic Induction programs and competency-based training. Works with Energy Skills Queensland to deliver nationally recognised training for the resources industry.
• Queensland Government - Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government funding partner. Energy Skills Queensland is the VET Industry Advisory Organisation (VETIAO) for DESBT for electrotechnology, utilities, CSG/LNG and ICT. Sources funding for workforce skilling programs including Queensland Workforce Skilling Strategy.
• Energy QueenslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor energy industry partner represented on board by Executive General Manager Todd Reynolds. Key stakeholder in workforce planning and development for the electricity sector.
• Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor gas infrastructure partner represented on board by Executive General Manager Edwin De Prinse. Engages in workforce planning for gas industry skills development.
• Australian Government - Regional Development Australia (RDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Regional Employment Trials initiative. RDA Townsville and North West Queensland initiative supporting employment trials in regional areas.
• TAFE QueenslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining delivery partner for Head Start Pilot Program where apprentices undertake intensive first year training. Also partner for Regional Employment Trials at Townsville and Mount Isa campuses.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SkillsIQ: Australian Industry Skills Standards organisation that, like ESQ, manages workforce forecasting, training package development, and industry intelligence for multiple sectors. Directly comparable as a national industry skills body serving overlapping stakeholder groups.
• Apprenticeship Support Australia: Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider delivering mentoring and workforce advisory services to apprentices and employers. Overlaps with ESQ's Women in Electricity, Head Start, and IWA programs targeting apprentice retention and SME support.
• Hydrogen Skills Australia: National hydrogen workforce development initiative closely linked to ESQ's Hydrogen Skills Australia subsidiary. Direct peer in building training pathways and certification frameworks for the emerging hydrogen economy.
• Australian Industry Standards: Industry Skills Standards body providing workforce planning, skills forecasting and training package support across multiple industries. Closely mirrors ESQ's mandate as a conduit between industry, government and the training sector.

Broad incumbents

• Master Electricians Australia: National industry association representing electrical contractors and providing training, compliance and workforce development services. Overlaps with ESQ's electrotechnology training and membership offerings at a national scale.
• National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA): Peak Australian industry body for electrical and communications contracting, offering training, apprenticeships and industry advocacy. Comparable as an industry-led skills and training organisation, but with national rather than state-level focus.

Others

• TAFE Queensland: Queensland's publicly-owned vocational training provider and a key ESQ delivery partner for Head Start and Regional Employment Trials. Comparable in delivering technical/trade training to the same energy workforce, but as a registered training organisation rather than industry advisory body.
• Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG): One of Australia's largest gas infrastructure operators and ESQ board member represented by an Executive General Manager. Comparable as a major employer of the energy workforce ESQ trains, but a customer/partner rather than a skills organisation.
• Energy Queensland: Queensland's government-owned electricity distribution business and ESQ board partner. Adjacent ecosystem participant that both funds and consumes ESQ's workforce planning and skilling services.

Regional players

• EnergySafe Victoria: Victoria's energy safety regulator and skills/training administrator. Comparable to ESQ in mandate around electrical workforce safety and competency, but operating in Victoria rather than Queensland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/energyskillsqld
• Facebookfacebook.com/energyskillsqld
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/energyskillsqld

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Energy Skills Queensland