ACTION PLAN LAUNCHED FOR CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY
Published Tuesday, 23 October, 2007 at 10:54 AM
Minister for Education and Training and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Rod Welford
A new plan to tackle skills shortages in the civil infrastructure industry – the first of its kind in Australia – was unveiled by Education and Training Minister Rod Welford today.
Mr Welford said the $4.5 million Civil Infrastructure Vocational Education and Training Action Plan would address skills shortages in an industry that was currently booming.
“Queensland’s record low unemployment rate of 3.6 per cent, coupled with increasing infrastructure needs, has resulted in a huge demand for skilled workers,” Mr Welford said.
“Our growing population is driving a huge investment in infrastructure, including a proposed $82 billion on public expenditure on infrastructure projects over 20 years as part of our Government’s South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program 2007-2026.
“Meeting this demand with a skilled workforce is a shared responsibility between industry, employers, training providers, unions and government.
“This action plan has identified steps we can take to ensure we have the qualified people and skilled labour required to meet growing water, roads and energy infrastructure needs.
“Construction Skills Queensland will implement the plan, having already established itself as the one-stop-shop for the civil construction industry.”
Mr Welford said some of the actions identified by the plan included developing intensive skills training models, expanding school-based training programs, setting up a recruitment strategy and investigating the feasibility of virtual reality simulators and terrain-based simulation for the civil construction industry.
“We want to get more people working in the industry more quickly, while at the same time ensuring they are receiving training of the highest level,” he said.
Mr Welford said Leighton Abigroup Joint Venture’s training program for the $1.88 billion Gateway Upgrade Project was an example of the private sector’s significant investment in training for the civil infrastructure industry.
“As part of the Gateway Upgrade Project, up to 100 people will receive practical training over the next three years in various disciplines of civil construction, as well as access to career pathways through traineeships and apprenticeships,” he said.
“Each entry-level trainee undertakes a week-long intensive skills program involving training in construction, safety and the environment before they start work on the site.
“Not only is this trainee program providing skilled labour for the Gateway Upgrade Project, but also a pool of trained employees available to meet the future workforce needs of contractors and subcontractors across the sector.”