Engineering, Passenger Rail, Workforce, Certification & Training

Retrenched auto workers targeted to fill skills gap

Victoria’s Level Crossing Removal Authority is reaching out to retrenched manufacturing workers to move them into roles in the transport infrastructure industry.

Representatives from the Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) recently addressed some of the 170 workers from the Hella Australia automotive parts plant, which will soon close after 57 years of operations.

Workers also met representatives from training providers, the Metro Tunnel project, and subcontractors including Altus Traffic, Lantrak and Rail Safeworking Solutions.

The LXRA is looking to leverage its unprecedented pipeline of work along the Frankston line to help deliver the State Government’s goal to develop a new generation of rail talent, while also fulfilling diversity and social inclusion goals.

The LXRA’s TRANSIT program is a fully-funded initiative to introduce transport job opportunities to eligible workers from declining industries, through a five-day program providing practical, job-ready training to help them gain competency and employment in transport and construction.

The LXRA and its subcontractors are actively recruiting for roles including traffic controllers, machine operators, and safety and plant maintenance personnel for dozens of level crossing removal projects in the Greater Melbourne area.

LXRA senior project officer Duy Le said the skills of automotive workers could meet skills shortages in transport infrastructure.

“We’ve received really positive feedback about those who have made the transition and encourage anyone hiring to look at ex-auto workers,” he said.