Infrastructure NSW : Meadowbank Education Precinct

PROJECT OVERVIEW

This case study demonstrates the commitment by School Infrastructure NSW (SINSW) to Points 9 and 10 in the 10 Point Plan to improve skills and training, and increase industry diversity.

The Meadowbank Education and Employment Precinct will cater for 1,000 primary school students, 1,500 secondary school students and a further 120 Intensive English Centre students.

The new primary school and new secondary school facilities will significantly increase capacity from Meadowbank Public School and Marsden High School’s current facilities, increase connectivity to major transport hubs, and offer students contemporary and flexible learning spaces.

The precinct will also include a new TAFE NSW facility focused on multi-trades and digital technology.

INITIATIVES

Infrastructure Skills Legacy Program (ISLP) initiatives for the project include:

20% of the project’s labour force will comprise ‘Learning Workers’ (excluding apprenticeships and traineeships)
20% of all trade positions will be apprentices
Double the number of women in trade-related work (up from the NSW average of 1% to 2%)
5% of the total contract value of the project will support Aboriginal participation, as per the NSW Government’s Aboriginal Participation in Construction (APIC) policy.
8% of the project’s workforce to be younger than 25
Strategies to ensure the project employs and trains people from the local region

A Funding Deed has been executed and an ISLP Project Coordinator has commenced work on the project to ensure compliance with required ISLP targets and reporting.

APPROACH

As the majority of School Infrastructure NSW (SINSW) projects are below the $100 million threshold for Infrastructure Skills Legacy Program (ISLP) requirements, SINSW is considering a range of approaches to achieve its targets, such as:

Site visits for construction and engineering students from local high schools and TAFE NSW to demonstrate the breadth of skills and experience available in construction, including planning, engineering, design, on-site construction and project management
Targeting 3% of contract value spent with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses – double the Aboriginal Participation in Construction (APIC) 1.5% target
Targeting 20% apprenticeship participation

SINSW is preparing to commence the main works, which will provide significant opportunities to achieve ISLP targets. The aim is to increase workers on site from approximately 30 on site to approximately 600 on site by mid-2021.

SINSW will engage with the local community and schools to update them on project progress and involve them in the project where possible, such as the proposed ‘Name the Crane’ competitions and long-term jobs in construction.

OUTCOMES

Despite the early stages of the project, key achievements to date include:

Engagement of two Indigenous businesses, with Total Surveying Solutions engaged to support remediation works and Borger’s Cranes used for site establishment works
The SINSW project team has been working with HVTC to examine options for engagement of Learning Workers
Remediation works has seen the employment of a female structural engineer, as well as six female traffic controllers
One worker aged under 25 has been engaged in remediation works
28 of the 29 people employed in remediation live locally

For more information, visit the School Infrastructure webpage or contact the team at School Infrastructure NSW.

Phone: 1300 482 651

Email: schoolinfrastructure@det.nsw.edu.au

Meadowbank Education Precinct

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