Major Projects Skills Guarantee supporting local workers

The next generation of skilled local workers are being given the opportunity to kick-start their careers and pick up crucial industry skills on high-value projects.

Through the Victorian Government’s Major Projects Skills Guarantee, 15 million hours of work has been undertaken by local apprentices, trainees and cadets since 2016.

The initiative is helping provide vital work experience for young Victorians by requiring at least 10% of the work carried out on the state’s construction projects valued at more than $20 million to be undertaken by apprentices, trainees or cadets.

Under the guarantee, major projects like the Melbourne Park redevelopment, level crossing removal projects and the Barwon Health North Healthcare Facility in Geelong have provided training opportunities for employees at local companies.

Stage 3 of the Melbourne Park redevelopment saw 40 apprentices working on the project in trades such as carpentry, plumbing, steel fabrication and electrical works.

The Major Projects Skills Guarantee is part of the government’s Local Jobs First policy, which gives small and medium-sized businesses more opportunities to compete for both large and small government contracts.

More than $130 billion worth of projects and more than 45,000 local jobs have been supported through the initiative.

Other initiatives introduced by the Victorian Government to promote local, secure jobs and support socially responsible businesses include the Fair Jobs Code and the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee.