Several major projects underway in the Sunshine Coast and a number more in the pipeline are giving the construction industry something to smile about in 2013.
According to a report by the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), construction activity dipped slightly in 2012, but overall it ended the year on a more positive note than in 2011.
Andrew Stevens, UDIA Sunshine Coast branch president, said the latest figures gave cause for optimism for the new year, with increased work in the sector likely to continue over the next 12 months.
“We are making slow but steady improvement following several years of inactivity and negative sentiment within our industry,” Mr Stevens told the Sunshine Coast Daily.
He said a recovery would be driven by four major projects – the Lake Kawana Health Precinct, Caloundra South, the Palmview/Sippy Downs town centre and the Sunshine Coast Airport expansion.
With major contracts already announced for the developments, there may be more opportunities for apprenticeships in the Sunshine Coast over the coming months.
The multibillion-dollar Sunshine Coast University Hospital at Lake Kawana is expected to generate thousands of jobs over the next three years of construction, with more than 200 work packages already on offer.
