FLYNN residents will have a chance to get a head start in the STEM industry if Labor is elected tomorrow.
Labor candidate Zac Beers was joined by Senator Anthony Chisholm and Labor spokesman on resources and northern Australia Jason Clare to promise 25 $20,000 scholarships for students wanting to study in science, technology, engineering and mathematics at university as a part of Labor's $1billion National Hydrogen Plan.
Mr Beers said residents of Flynn would be prioritised for the scholarships in a bid to prepare them for Labor's plan to build a $3million hydrogen innovation hub in Gladstone.
"We know our region needs new jobs, we know our region needs good secure well paid jobs," Mr Beers said.
"Today's announcement is about making sure the next generation has the skills ready to hit the ground running when we get the industry here in Gladstone."
Mr Beers said projections indicated there could be tens of thousands of jobs in the hydrogen industry.
"We know global demand is increasing and that global demand is going to sky-rocket for hydrogen," he said.
"These will be good well paid jobs in our region."
Mr Clare said this was part of ALP policy which they believed would help create more jobs in Gladstone and across Flynn.
"It's half a million dollars worth of scholarships to make sure that young people here in central Queensland get the jobs that come with creating a new industry for Australia right here in central Queensland - the hydrogen industry," Mr Clare said.
"Jobs like electrical engineering, civil engineering, jobs like scientist who will work with companies like Northern Oil and other companies already working in this area... to identify the sorts of skills that are needed to train up young people to get those jobs.