The Andrews Labor Government’s project to remove every level crossing between Dandenong and the city is creating 2,000 jobs and providing skills, qualifications and opportunities for young Aboriginal Victorians.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Natalie Hutchins today met the first intake of students at the New Employment Exchange and Training (NEXT) centre – a dedicated training hub established through the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project.
The nine students were placed through Aboriginal employment agency RAW Recruitment and will be equipped with the skills and qualifications they need to work in the Victorian rail construction industry – including safety, traffic management and first aid accreditations.
The NEXT centre is a partnership between the project and Chisholm Institute. Over the coming years, it will provide classroom training, on-the-job mentoring and ongoing career support for hundreds of young workers and people re-skilling from other sectors.
The project also has a 2.5 per cent Aboriginal employment target, and is covered by the Major Project Skills Guarantee, which mandates 10 per cent of work be undertaken by apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets.
These employment and training benefits are on top of the significant transport and community benefits the project will deliver – reducing congestion, increasing safety, improving public transport and creating 11 MCGs worth of new parks, paths and community open space.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Natalie Hutchins
“This massive project is providing skills, qualifications and opportunities for Aboriginal Victorians, while it reduces congestion, increases safety and improves public transport throughout Melbourne’s south east.”
“We are proud to be using our major projects to help address the social, cultural and economic disadvantage that Aboriginal Victorians experience by giving them access to jobs and training programs.”
Quote attributable to Member for Clarinda Hong Lim
“The Caulfield to Dandenong level crossing removal project is making our community safer, greener and less congested and creating jobs and opportunities for thousands of Victorians.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020