Three hundred new jobs will be created in Geelong with a new national contact centre for Energy Australia.

The full-time positions have been announced by Victorian Premier Denis Napthine as part of a co-investment with the company.

“It not only brings 300 new jobs for Geelong, but also secures 500 existing jobs around the state,” Dr Napthine said on Tuesday.

He said it was a “modest” government investment that will help with infrastructure and training.

Geelong has experienced a string of bad news after Alcoa announced it will close its Geelong-based aluminium smelter and rolling mills, with about 500 jobs expected to be cut by August.

The regional city has also experienced job losses at Ford, Target, Boral Waurn Ponds and Qantas at Avalon Airport.