Central West Orana REZ

Incursion Program

Immersive, place‑based school incursions building energy literacy and career awareness across the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.

The Central‑West Orana REZ School Incursion Program is a place‑based education and workforce engagement initiative designed to build energy literacy and career awareness for students across schools located within the Central‑West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).

Delivered through immersive, in‑school incursions, the program brings renewable energy, net zero concepts, and local workforce pathways to life using hands‑on activities, industry engagement, and real‑world context. At the centre of delivery is the Net:Zed Mobile Classroom — a purpose‑built, interactive learning environment that translates complex energy transition topics into accessible and engaging experiences for students and educators.

Why It Matters

As the Central West Orana region leads Australia’s renewable energy transition, young people and communities need clear, trusted, and locally relevant ways to understand what this change means for them.

This project supports informed participation in the transition by helping students connect learning with real careers, future skills, and opportunities emerging in their own region.

Who It’s For

Combined and secondary schools and students in the Central West Orana REZ catchment
Teachers and schools seeking curriculum‑aligned resources connected to real‑world learning.
Proponents and industry partners supporting REZ development
Government and regional bodies involved in education, workforce, and community engagement

Combined and secondary schools and students in the Central West Orana REZ catchment.

Teachers and schools seeking curriculum‑aligned resources connected to real‑world learning.

Proponents and industry partners supporting REZ development.

Government and regional bodies involved in education, workforce, and community engagement.

What It Delivers

Stronger student understanding of energy systems, renewables, and Net Zero
Increased awareness of local and emerging workforce pathways
Meaningful connections between schools, industry, and regional transition priorities
Evidence based insight to support scalable engagement across future REZs

For students, the experience builds curiosity, confidence, and clarity about how education connects to real opportunity.

Stronger student understanding of energy systems, renewables, and Net Zero.

Increased awareness of local and emerging workforce pathways

Meaningful connections between schools, industry, and regional transition priorities.

Evidence based insight to support scalable engagement across future REZs.

For students, the experience builds curiosity, confidence, and clarity about how education connects to real opportunity.

The Central‑West Orana REZ School Incursion Program is delivered under the auspices of the NSW Department of Education through the RIEP program and supported by the NSW Government, with program funding provided by EnergyCo.

The program is implemented by Net:Zed in collaboration with schools across the region and is supported by a growing network of industry partners activating renewable energy projects and critical enabling infrastructure throughout the Central‑West Orana REZ.

Partners participate as contributors to learning and career awareness, supporting education‑safe, place‑based engagement across the region.

Project