The Government of Queensland has announced a plan to turn the Galilee Basin into a larger community, with 28,000 jobs likely to be created from developments to infrastructure.
The basin, which stretches west of Townsville at its northern-most tip and reaches the Surat Basin in the south, will be developed into a more business-ready urban landscape, the government announced this month.
The state says the future of employment in Queensland will be reinforced with both short- and long-term developments taking place in the region. These will take in a broad range of employment types, meaning a variety of apprenticeships and traineeships in Queensland should be made available to jobseekers in a number of industries.
In a November media release, the government said the infrastructure of the region will be a major focus , with civil, commercial and residential construction likely to be the first to benefit.
As a result, supportive recruitment opportunities in careers such as landscaping, plumbing and trades employment will also become more in demand.
In the long term, the government announced how the project will lead to improved schools and better hospitals, creating opportunities for medical, healthcare and education employment in the region.
Many employers, then, may see apprentices and trainees as the best route to take to ensure the workforce is balanced and ready for the future.
Mining leading the way
The $16.5 billion Carmichael coal project will be a large factor of this growth, as the state looks to partner with the resources sector to improve employment opportunities around the Galilee Basin.
The first stage of this growth will be to develop rail facilities to link the Carmichael project with Port of Abbot Point, around 150 kilometres south of Townsville.
“To build on our Galilee Basin Development Strategy, we are now prepared to sign agreements with Galilee Basin proponents who can demonstrate they will meet the majority of the cost of providing this common-user infrastructure,” explained Premier Campbell Newman in a recent media release.
The Carmichael project could pump around $500 million into Queensland’s economy during initial construction and $3 billion when running at full capacity, the state government announced.
“This is the revenue that will build the schools, hospitals and roads our state needs in the future,” Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney added.
“[The] decision to help build the rail link for this project will get it happening more quickly and ensure its benefits start to flow to the people of Queensland.”
With agreements signed between the state and Carmichael owners Adani Mining, the first rail stage of the project could be underway sooner rather than later, meaning more opportunities for people trying to find an apprenticeship or traineeship in Queensland.
By Leanne de Toerkenczy, Public Relations Coordinator.
