QUICK FACTS
- The Quercus Park Earth Works Training Site will be only the second of its kind in Australia.
- Partnership beween the Civil Contractors Federation Tasmania and Rural Youth Tasmania and delivered by a re-elected majority Liberal Government.
- Purpose-built open work site, delivering real life ‘live works’ training.
- 667 new plant and machinery operators and other critical workers needed each year until 2027.
- Construction on the site will start in 2024, and it is anticipated to be fully operational by 2025.
- Delivering faster, safer and more efficient training.
- Up to 3000 training qualifications per year in the civil construction industry alone.
- Training for many other industries - building and construction, forestry, agriculture, energy, mining and transport.
Under our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, a re-elected majority Liberal Government will:
- Set up Tasmania’s first purpose-built Earth Works Training Site at Quercus Park to skill up the next generation of civil construction workers.
An important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future is to support industry to grow and create jobs for Tasmanians.
Tasmania’s First Purpose-Built Earth Works Training Site at Quercus Park
An important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future is to partner with industry to address their skills and training requirements, to keep our economy growing and creating jobs.
The Tasmanian civil construction sector generated around $576 million in economic value in 2021-22 and supports a significant number of small, medium-sized and larger businesses, with the workforce growing significantly over the past five years.
As part of the Liberal’s High-Vis Army Plan, a Needs Analysis commissioned by the Civil Contractors Federation Tasmania (CCFTas) shows there is a need to train and employ an average of 667 additional plant and machinery operators, and other critical sector occupations, annually.
Skill shortages in this sector include earthmoving plant operators, bulldozer operators, excavator operators, grader operators, loader and road roller operators, and truck drivers.
To meet the significant training demand now and into the future, a re-elected majority Liberal Government will deliver Tasmania’s first purpose-built Earth Works Training Site at Quercus Park and only the second of its kind in Australia.
In a partnership between the Civil Contractors Federation Tasmania and Rural Youth Tasmania, a majority Liberal Government will deliver this exciting purpose-built project.
The Earth Works Training Site will be an open work site, delivering real life training in a safe, controlled environment and an authentic industry setting.
It will provide faster, safer and more efficient training for plant and machinery operators and a wide range of other jobs, from truck drivers and road traffic controllers, to those working in safety roles, pipe laying and other industry-specific training needs.
As well as improving the quality and consistency of training for the sector and standardisation to increase productivity, the Training Site will significantly enhance the civil construction sector’s ability to attract younger workers and more female workers, and will strengthen and enable new school-based pathways into the sector.
With a current infrastructure pipeline under a majority Liberal Government of an estimated $27 billion, the Earth Works Training Site will help support a growing Tasmanian economy, with civil construction workers a vital part of the delivery of infrastructure associated with water, power, waste management, roads, bridges, dams, wharves and commercial and residential land development.
A CCFTas industry survey indicates that 75 per cent of respondents would prefer to use an Earth Works Training Site for training of plant and machinery operators.
By partnering with Rural Youth Tasmania, CCFTas has secured the site at Quercus Park and this central location will meet the needs of industry across the State, with half of the civil workforce based in the South and the other half in the North and North-West.
This partnership also benefits Rural Youth Tasmania with the management of ongoing maintenance tasks throughout Quercus Park, including regular road and drainage maintenace, which are two significant ongoing operating costs for this organisation.
A broad range of training opportunities can be offered at the Earth Works Training Site for many industry sectors including the building and construction industry, forestry, agriculture, energy and mining sectors, and the transport industry.
It is estimated the Site has the potential to deliver up to 3000 training qualifications each year for the civil construction industry alone, including supporting more than 330 apprentices.
A majority Liberal Government’s investment into this project includes establishing the site’s infrastructure and training equipment, with the facility expected to be open to all current and future Registered Training Organisations, including TasTAFE.
The Earth Works Training Site will also support career awareness activities, including VET in schools, job-ready courses, career “come and try” days, and will collaborate with industry sectors on their ongoing needs.
This Plan will see workers recruited to fill job vacancies, replace workers who leave the industry, upskill existing workers, help meet regulatory requirements (e.g. tickets required for employees to meet business needs), and ensure workers are well trained and safe.
Construction on the site will start in 2024, and it is anticipated to be fully operational by 2025.
The Earth Works Training Site will be operated by CCFTas.
The plan includes $1.8 million to establish the site’s infrastructure, including demountable site buildings for classroom, toilets, work site, lunchroom, trainers’ office and first aid, equipment shed, work compound, security fencing, road works and paths, car park, electrical, plumbing, water, IT, concrete hardstand, material storage, fuel compound and planning and design.
It also includes $2.5 million for equipment including excavators 20 tonne, 7 tonnne, and 1.5 tonne, roller, grader, skid steer, 10 yard truck, telehandler, front end loader, backhoe, work site safety equipment, small civil tools and hand power tools.
Net Cost: $4.3 million