The Port Augusta Technical College has officially opened - marking an exciting step forward for education, training, and skills development in regional South Australia.

Opening on Monday 4 August, the event brought together community and industry leaders, including Premier Peter Malinauskas, Minister for Education, Training and Skills Blair Boyer, and our CEO Andrew Bills and CPO Sam Bradley who joined the opening along with members of our Organisational Capability and local Operational teams — all of whom have played a key role in making this partnership a reality. 

Our CEO Andrew Bills and Premier Peter Malinauskas

One of five new Technical Colleges funded by the South Australian Government, the Port Augusta campus gives students in Years 10–12 the chance to complete their SACE while also undertaking nationally recognised vocational training (VET). Drawing students from across the Eyre Peninsula, Upper North, Mid North, Riverland, and APY Lands. 

For SA Power Networks, the focus is on building awareness and skills that connect directly to careers in the energy sector — from safe work practices around electricity to the fundamentals of electrotechnology. Through the Multi Trades Program, students complete components of Certificate II Electrotechnology and industry-mandated safety training, giving them a strong foundation that set them up for an apprenticeship with us and support the future workforce needs of our regional depots. 

Our role in making it happen

As one of South Australia’s largest employers and a long-standing trainer of skilled tradespeople, we’re proud to invest in our future workforce. Working alongside the Malinauskas Government and the Department for Education, we’ve helped shape the Multi Trades Program to align with our technical and safety standards.

Our contribution includes:

• Co-designing curriculum and training content 
• Offering work experience and shadowing opportunities at our regional depots 
• Hosting guest lectures and career insight sessions 
• Supporting ongoing program development through governance forums

Our Customer Solutions team in Port Augusta was also instrumental in ensuring the College could open its doors — working with the Department for Education and the developer to provide a safe, reliable connection to the electricity network, ready to meet the needs of students and staff now and in the future.

Why this matters

This partnership is about more than jobs — it’s about creating genuine career pathways for young people in regional South Australia to be part of our state’s energy transition. By engaging with students from Year 10, we can build early awareness of career opportunities such as Powerline Worker, increase local workforce participation, and reduce reliance on external recruitment. 

From 2027, we expect up to two graduates based on our recruitment needs each year to progress from the College into our apprenticeship programs. It also sets the blueprint for future partnerships, with Technical Colleges at the Limestone Coast and Tonsley opening in 2026 to provide even more pathways into the industry. 

We’re proud to be part of this important investment in our regions — building strong communities, supporting long-term employment, and ensuring South Australia’s energy future is powered by homegrown talent.