Following the award of an $11.1 billion contract for the North East Link tunnels, the project launched a recruitment campaign for a range of roles.
North East Link, the largest road project ever in Victoria, is expected to create more than 10,000 jobs.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan announced the recruitment drive in Bulleen, where work is underway to prepare the project’s 6.5km road tunnels by moving a section of the Yarra East Main Sewer.
Over 1,000 people work on North East Link, with opportunities available to 100 apprentices, trainees and cadets, who have worked 100,000 hours.
Dozens of jobs are now advertised and hundreds more over the next few months, to join the team that will deliver the twin road tunnels.
To help fill the range of roles needed to plan, design and build the tunnels, a dedicated skills and jobs center in Watsonia is open to connect locals to training and jobs on the project.
The Skills and Jobs Center is ready to connect people with apprenticeships, TAFE courses, site tickets and licenses and other VET programmes.
A range of project roles are now advertised, covering everything from traffic, utility and construction engineers to digital engineering specialists, project managers and all levels of project engineers.
Corporate positions will also play an important role in supporting the project with the search for contract administrators, commercial managers, community engagement specialists and administrative roles.
Throughout the duration of the project, 10% of the construction hours will be carried out by apprentices, trainees and cadets. In addition, the project has an Aboriginal employment target of 2.5% of project hours.
In a major milestone, four million hours were worked on North East Link. The project is expected to repair the missing link in Melbourne’s motorway network, cut journey times by up to 35 minutes and remove 15,000 trucks from local roads.
Crews have already made significant progress in preparing the North East Link tunnels, with three mini tunnel rigs constructing a new 1.8km section of the Yarra East Main Sewer.
In addition to this, 4.5km of gas and electricity lines have been moved west of Greensborough Road, and construction is underway on the accelerated Bulleen Park and Ride – the first part of the Eastern Express Busway.
In 2022, the project will establish works complexes to support major tunnel construction, commission the project’s tunnel boring machines and select preferred bidders for the next key parts of the project – including a massive redesign of the Eastern Highway, Melbourne’s first dedicated bus lane. , and the completion of the M80 bypass.
Crews are also expected to activate the new Yarra East main sewer section, complete the relocation of nearly 100 utilities, and seek local input on local design elements, including open spaces and walking and cycling paths.
Victorians are encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra travel time during a massive amount of work going on in the North East. Crews are working around the clock in a six-week blitz to clear a major bottleneck on Main Road and Fitzsimons Lanes.
In Eltham, major upgrades to the Porter Street intersection to traffic lights will begin at the end of April 2022, with Porter St due to be closed between Fitzsimons Lane and Edwin Road for seven weeks.
North East Link is funded to the tune of $14 billion by the Government of Victoria and $1.75 billion by the Commonwealth Government.
For more information on North East Link jobs, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au/jobs or visit the North East Link Skills and Jobs Center at 17 Watsonia Road, Watsonia – open weekdays from January 10, 2022.
“North East Link is poised to create over 10,000 jobs – with dozens of jobs now open and hundreds more on the way, we’re providing jobs when our community and economy need them most. “said Mr. Andrews.
“The Skills and Jobs Center will work with industry to link the right candidates to the right jobs – from opening up career paths for apprentices and trainees to connecting experienced professionals with the project.”
