The Queensland Government will build a new $7.1 million Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Maryborough to give local workers the skills needed to fill training gaps.
The skills and training hub will have a strong focus on upskilling more workers to support Queensland’s investment in train manufacturing.
Manufacturing minister Glenn Butcher and assistant minister Bruce Saunders joined Manufacturing Skills Queensland (MSQ) for the announcement.
“Queensland’s Big Build is booming, so this new facility will put Maryborough – and the locals who’ll benefit – at the front of the queue for the good manufacturing jobs we’re creating,” said Saunders.
The $9.5 billion Queensland Train Manufacturing Program will see 65 six-car passenger trains manufactured at a purpose-built manufacturing facility at Torbanlea in the Fraser Coast region, supporting 1,300 jobs throughout the life of the project.
“Not only are we delivering jobs for Queenslanders in manufacturing but these trains will be the most accessible in the country,” said Butcher.
The centre will provide facilities that could skill workers in advanced machining, CNC, robotics and augmented welding, along with integrating extended reality (virtual, augmented, and mixed).
Downer has come on board as a foundation member of the Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, partnering with MSQ to deliver training in advanced manufacturing.
This is set to provide sustainable, long-term and local training opportunities that will support train manufacturing and industries in the manufacturing supply chain across the Fraser Coast region.
