She swapped a Hollywood career and a US Green Card for a mission to get regional Australians into clean energy jobs, and this month actor Yael Stone is bringing that mission to Armidale.
Ms Stone, best known internationally for playing Lorna Morello in Orange Is the New Black, founded the not-for-profit Hi Neighbour after making the decision to give up her US residency and return permanently to Australia during the 2019 to 2020 Black Summer bushfires, driven by concerns about climate change and the emissions from her regular travel between Australia and the United States.
That decision has grown into Love Your Work, a free touring event connecting young locals to careers in renewable energy, which lands at The Welder’s Dog, Big Dog, in Armidale on Saturday, 19 September, from noon to 1.30pm.
The event will feature a screening of the short film Love Your Work, a live career panel, a $3,000 scholarship opportunity for local 18- to 24-year-olds, live music from country artist Fanny Lumsden and a free barbecue.
Ms Stone will also appear on ABC Radio on Wednesday, 16 September, ahead of the Armidale visit.
Since Hi Neighbour launched in the Illawarra in 2023, it has supported people into clean energy careers through scholarships, mentoring, industry connections and community solar projects, with a focus on making sure the regions carrying the renewable energy transition also share in its job opportunities.
“This is very much a two-way learning opportunity. We are keen to come and learn from folks in New England to understand how we can best support them,” Ms Stone said.
The timing lines up with a major shift at the University of New England, which will launch a new Renewable Energy Physics major within its Bachelor of Science from Trimester 1, 2027. The major will also be open to students in the combined Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Laws degrees.
Developed with TAFE and industry partners and aligned with NSW Renewable Energy Zone priorities, the major covers solar energy, hydrogen, batteries, power electronics, computational modelling and data analysis, preparing graduates for careers in renewable energy technologies, energy storage, materials development, research and technical consultancy.
Associate Professor Tanveer Hussain, who led the development of the major, is an internationally recognised computational physicist researching hydrogen storage, next-generation batteries, renewable energy materials and nanosensors.
“The renewable energy transition is creating opportunities well beyond traditional energy jobs. We need graduates with skills across energy generation and storage, power systems, advanced materials and data. UNE’s new Renewable Energy Physics major will help students develop those skills while studying in the New England region,” Associate Professor Hussain said.
Emeritus Professor Trevor Brown, founder of Electrify Armidale, said the Armidale event was a chance to connect young people with real opportunities emerging from the region’s energy shift.
“The energy transition is not only about building renewable energy infrastructure. It is also about creating opportunities for people. Young people in our region need to see the careers emerging in renewable energy and the many education and training pathways that can take them there,” Emeritus Professor Brown said.
Students can also pursue renewable energy careers through complementary study in physics, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics and data science, covering areas such as energy materials, hydrogen production and storage, environmental assessment, energy forecasting and grid optimisation.
The Armidale stop is part of a four leg Love Your Work tour of New South Wales’s Renewable Energy Zones, also visiting Newcastle, Muswellbrook and Dubbo through September and October.
Grab a free ticket to the Armidale event on September 19 here.
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