The Queensland construction sector is set to see an increase in activity, with applications for work on the multibillion-dollar Sunshine Coast University Hospital development set to open tomorrow (January 16).
State health minister Lawrence Springborg said more than 200 work packages will be on offer, with contracts ranging from carpentry, roofing and hydraulic service to landscaping and painting.
The $1.8 billion project, which may generate opportunities for construction apprenticeships in the Sunshine Coast, is Australia’s first new, not replacement, hospital in two decades.
Mr Springborg said the medical facility will generate significant economic and community benefits.
“When it opens in 2016, the hospital will revolutionise the delivery of public health care services to the Sunshine Coast. In the meantime, its construction will provide an important boost to our economy,” he explained.
Sunshine Coast Council mayor Mark Jamieson urged local companies to take advantage of the employment opportunities created by the development.
“This is a once in a generation project for the Sunshine Coast and I encourage our local businesses to bid for as many contracts as possible,” Mr Jamieson said.
The new facility, which will boast a cancer centre, neurosurgery and cardiothoracic services, will provide employment for more than 3,500 staff – potentially growing to 6,000 by 2021.
