CPB Contractors, as part of Suburban Connect and in partnership with Suburban Rail Loop Authority and the Victorian Tunnelling Centre in Melbourne, has launched its inaugural Tools of the Trade (TOTT) Industry Development Program, which focuses on building skilled, diverse workforces on the SRL East project.
The inclusive, 10-day program aims to build the practical skills of cadets and trainees on the project through various hands-on activities. The program’s first cohort welcomed participants from diverse backgrounds, who joined via organisations including Career Seekers, Career Trackers, Jesuit Social Services’ JustWorks recruitment service and Monash University’s BEST initiative.
CPB Contractors Operations Services Manager Tracey Henderson shares more on how the TOTT program aims to create opportunities for people from all walks of life on SRL.
“It’s heartening to see that our first cohort achieved a 50:50 gender split while providing a space for diverse groups – First Nations people, individuals from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds, youth and neurodiverse participants to build skills that will help them thrive in the construction industry,” adds Tracey.
Program participants developed competencies in various areas, including operating scissor lifts and rollers, understanding site preparation processes, fixing drainpipes, and completing the Australian Tunnelling Society’s Bulletproof Performance program which focuses on enhancing communication skills.
CPB Contractors’ delivery of the SRL East Tunnels South package will see at least 12 per cent of the total hours worked fulfilled by trainees, apprentices and cadets, with at least one third of these positions designated for women, while SRL East is set to create up to 8,000 direct local jobs, shares Tracey.
“As of now, more than 1,500 people are already contributing to this transformative project, and our TOTT program is just one of the ways that we’ll build capability and capacity for new entrants to the construction industry, benefitting the State and the broader industry long after work here is complete,” adds Tracey.
CPB Contractors is committed to enabling gender equality across its operations and providing safe, inclusive and diverse workplaces with equal career opportunities. This commitment is underscored by CPB Contractors’ Gender Equality Action Plan, Reconciliation Action Plan, Veteran Strategy and Action Plan, ABSE Playbook and signing of the Veterans’ Employment Commitment (VEC) as part of the Australian Government’s Veteran Employment Program.
The delivery of SRL East includes the construction of six underground stations and 26km of twin tunnels. As part of the Tunnels South contract, CPB Contractors and Suburban Connect’s other consortium partners will build 16km of twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley, two underground station boxes and undertake construction works at the train stabling facility in Heatherton.