The free event, organised by not for profit Hi Neighbour, will bring together clean energy career information, local experts, a $3,000 scholarship opportunity for 18 to 24-year-olds, a screening of the short film Love Your Work, a free BBQ and live music from acclaimed country musician Fanny Lumsden.
Behind the initiative is Australian actor and climate advocate Yael Stone, well known internationally for her role as Lorna Morello in Orange Is the New Black.
Since its launch in 2023, Hi Neighbour has supported people to pursue clean energy careers through scholarships, mentoring and industry connections, while also investing in community solar projects. Its focus is on ensuring that the transition to renewable energy creates opportunities for local people and that workers and communities are not left behind.
A Clean Energy Career Q&A, featuring local experts unpacking real job and training pathways available in the New England region:
Dr Sanaz Alian, University of New England
Scott Green, Community Engagement and Communications Specialist – New England, ACEN Australia, large scale renewables company operating in the area
Heidi McElnea, Renewable Energy Skills Coordinator for New England — a NSW Government role formed through a partnership between EnergyCo and the Department of Education
UNE’s new Renewable Energy physics major from Trimester 1 2027
For those considering a career in renewables, the timing is particularly significant. From Trimester 1, 2027, the UNE will offer a new Renewable Energy Physics major within the Bachelor of Science. The major will also be available to commencing students in the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Laws.
The new major provides a pathway into the science and technology underpinning the energy transition.
The major will combine core physics with applied learning in solar energy, hydrogen, batteries, power electronics, computational modelling, and data analysis. Developed in consultation with TAFE and industry partners, it will prepare graduates for careers in renewable-energy technologies, energy storage, materials development, research, and technical consultancy.
Students can also pursue renewable-energy careers through complementary pathways in physics, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics, and data science. These disciplines support areas such as energy-material development, hydrogen production, environmental assessment, energy forecasting, and grid optimisation.
Associate Professor Tanveer Hussain, who led development of the major, is an internationally recognised computational physicist whose research includes hydrogen storage, next-generation batteries, renewable energy materials and nanosensors.
“The renewable energy transition is creating opportunities that extend well beyond the traditional idea of an energy job. We will need scientists, technologists and graduates with skills spanning energy generation and storage, electronics, advanced materials, data and environmental science.
“UNE’s new Renewable Energy Physics major will give students in our region the opportunity to develop those skills while studying in the heart of the New England Renewable Energy Zone.”
Emeritus Professor of Chemistry Trevor Brown, Convenor of Electrify Armidale, said the event was an important opportunity to connect young people with the employment and education opportunities emerging from the region’s energy transition.
“A great deal of attention is understandably given to the renewable energy infrastructure being developed across New England, but ultimately this transition is also about people. We want young people in our region to be able to see the range of careers that will be available and understand the education and training pathways that can take them there.”
Professor Brown said those pathways extended beyond a dedicated renewable energy degree or major.
“Renewable energy draws on an extraordinary range of disciplines. Physics is fundamental to energy generation, storage and electricity systems, while chemistry is central to batteries, hydrogen, new materials and many emerging technologies.
There are also important roles for data science, mathematics, environmental and earth sciences, agriculture, business, law and many other areas.”
Start Your Journey: Free Sustainability Short Course
As part of our commitment to the New England community, UNE has launched a free short course designed to provide a fundamental understanding of sustainability and the underpinnings of the energy transition. This is an ideal entry point for anyone looking to understand how they can contribute to a sustainable future.
**Access the Free UNE Sustainability Course Here**
About Hi Neighbour
Founded by Yael Stone in 2023, Hi Neighbour works to build equity in Australia's clean energy transformation. Born out of the Illawarra, the organisation partners with industry, training bodies and communities to deliver bespoke scholarships and practical support prioritising under-utilised, knowledge-rich groups — including coal-connected communities, women, and First Nations individuals — helping build a diverse, dynamic clean energy workforce. The "Love Your Work" REZ Tour is supported by Flow Power, Groundswell and 1 Million Women.
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