For the first time, a full state-wide audit of the skills and occupations that make up the state’s coal workforce has been undertaken, as the Minns Labor Government delivers on its commitment to support coal workers and their communities.
The Skills Audit is an important first tranche of work for the newly legislated Future Jobs and Investment Authority, providing comprehensive analysis of all four NSW coal-producing regions that details worker characteristics including occupations, skills and average income.
By providing a clear picture of the strengths, capabilities and experience of coal workers in the state, the Authority and local communities can attract economic investment and support new local industries.
Only the Minns Labor Government is supporting coal jobs today, while also partnering with communities to plan for a future in which the global demand for coal is expected to decline.
Coal mining has existed in NSW for more than 200 years, and today the state has a highly skilled workforce, helping keep the lights on in Australia and around the world.
The Skills Audit includes important information about the current status of the workforce, including regional profiles for the Hunter, Central West, North West and Illawarra regions. It reveals that:
About 46 per cent of coal workers are machinery operators or drivers, and about 30 per cent are technicians and trades workers.
More than half of workers hold certificate-level qualifications.
Coal mining employees earn higher-than-average incomes across the state’s coal regions.
About 40 per cent of the workforce is aged 45 or older.
More than 60 per cent of the industry’s workforce is based in the Hunter, with 93 per cent of those workers living locally.
The Skills Audit is being made publicly available to support other institutions – including local governments, employers, miners and industry groups – to reference and build on.
It will help the NSW Government and industry understand when and where workers will become available and what skills they have that can be transferred into new jobs in new industries.
Coal remains a major contributor to the NSW economy, supporting around 25,000 direct jobs, and is the state’s largest export.
The NSW Government is also actively working on planning reforms to enable more post-mine land use, to ensure that sites that have supported employment for decades can continue to do so.
The Minns Labor Government is committed to coal mine workers and communities, including through:
Welcoming the Independent Planning Commission's approval of the Hunter Valley Operations coal mine, supporting 1,500 jobs and around $1 billion of investment in the coming year.
Proposed legislation, due to be introduced to the NSW Parliament this month, to protect 400 coal workers at the MACH Energy Mount Pleasant mine, providing certainty while the project makes its way through the planning system.
The NSW Coal Industry 2026-50 policy document, recognising that coal mining will continue to play an important role in the NSW economy for decades to come, while providing certainty for workers, communities and industry.
The NSW Government is contributing $22.5 million per year to the Future Jobs and Investment Fund which will unlock more than $170 million to support jobs and economic opportunities across coal-producing regions.
The full Skills Audit and more information is available at Future Jobs and Investment Authority.
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:
“The Hunter is home to more than 60 per cent of NSW’s coal workforce. These are skilled workers earning good wages, spending their money locally and supporting businesses across our region.
“The Minns Government has fought to secure 1,500 jobs at Hunter Valley Operations and we’re working to protect another 400 at Mount Pleasant. I know how much these jobs matter to Hunter families.
“For the first time, we know exactly what skills our coal workers have and where those skills can be put to work. That’s how we bring new industries to the Hunter without leaving workers and their communities behind.”
Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos said:
"Only a re-elected Minns Labor Government will keep backing coal jobs today, while working with communities to plan for the future beyond coal.
"This Skills Audit is the first of its kind in NSW. It means we can match people with future jobs and target training and education where it will make the greatest difference, building on the skills of our coal workforce.
“This crucial piece of work has long been on the to-do list for governments, unions and communities, and the Minns Labor Government has delivered.
“It ensures our coal-producing regions are well-placed to attract investment, support jobs and take advantage of future economic opportunities.”
Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison said:
“When coal was first shipped out of Newcastle for India in 1799, few could have imagined the industry it would become or the generations of workers who would build their lives around it.
“More than 225 years later, coal remains a major part of the Hunter’s identity and economy, and we have a responsibility to the people who work in this industry.
“For the first time, we have a state-wide picture of the skills, trades and experience that make up our coal workforce. That knowledge is vital to making sure the Hunter’s next chapter is built around the people who have helped make this region what it is today.”
Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr said:
"Coal mining has been part of Cessnock and the Hunter for generations. It has supported local families, provided thousands of jobs and helped build the communities we know today.
“This audit gives us a better understanding of the skills and experience of our local workers. We need to support the people and jobs we have today, while making sure Cessnock and the Hunter are well placed to provide good jobs for the next generation.”
NSW Labor Duty MLC for Upper Hunter Emily Suvaal said:
“By planning early and matching workforce strengths with emerging opportunities, we can help workers move into new and growing industries while retaining good jobs and investment across our regions.”
Hunter Workers Secretary Leigh Shears said:
"We thank Minister Houssos and the NSW Government for their focus on Hunter workers, particularly those at the coalface of another major industrial transition in our region.
"This important body of work complements the work already underway at Hunter Workers, supporting workers and our communities from the port to the pit.
"Together, this work will help us strengthen Hunter workers voices, support and guide informed decision making, amplify on the ground experience, building shared regional knowledge.
"Our continued focus is to ensure Hunter workers skills and experience are valued, that they have a real say in what comes next, and a pathway to secure, well-paid union jobs here in the Hunter.”
MEU Northern Mining and NSW Energy District President Robin Williams said:
“This data backs up what Hunter communities already know: coal mining provides well-paid jobs that are extremely important to local families and the regional economy.
“These aren't jobs that can easily be replaced. New industries and investment in the Hunter need to deliver secure, well-paid jobs that allow workers and their families to maintain a decent standard of living.
“We welcome serious planning for the Hunter's long-term future through the Future Jobs and Investment Authority.
“That planning must start with supporting the good coal jobs we have today, while working to create the next generation of quality jobs in our coal communities.”