Global energy consultancy Xodus has delivered a future-looking guide on the jobs that will be required to deliver a major Australian interconnector project to connect North West Tasmania with Victoria, known as the Marinus Link.
Marinus Link is a proposed undersea and underground electricity and data interconnector that will enable the flow of more low-cost renewable energy between North West Tasmania with Victoria.
Construction on the project, which is currently in the design and approvals phase, is scheduled to get underway in 2026 and is anticipated to create up to 3,300 direct and indirect jobs.
According to research from Ernst and Young (EY), Marinus Link is also expected to deliver approximately $3.9 billion in economic stimulus for Tasmania and Victoria.
Xodus was tasked by Marinus Link with mapping the construction and operations workforce opportunities, to improve understanding of how the project would develop and promote local content.
The resulting guide outlines the anticipated workforce needs, broken down by sector, and discipline area.
By providing indicative position descriptions for each anticipated onshore and offshore role – including qualifications and training requirements – the manual will be an invaluable tool, providing examples of local training and education pathways for local residents, and the wider Australian community, to work on the project.
The jobs guide offers a representative and non-exhaustive overview of the roles likely to be available on the development, which can be used by universities and schools.
It also gives an overview of where the positions will be located and what project phase they will be working in, listing the relevant training providers in both Tasmania and Victoria, as well as in wider Australia.
“This guide builds on Xodus’ extensive experience with workforce development strategies for complex energy projects, which includes offshore wind, hydrogen and subsea interconnectors, providing tangible examples of the typical roles that will be available to the local workforce.
“It also highlights opportunities for specialist roles, including those in offshore vessels, onshore transmission, and horizontal directional drilling (HDD). By outlining workforce requirements at this early stage, the easily accessible guide will assist both Marinus Link and its subcontractors in planning for the project’s needs,” said Lara Taylor, Lead Renewables Consultant, Xodus.
Marinus Link is jointly owned by the Federal government (49%), Tasmanian state government (17.7%) and Victorian (33.3%) state government.