nbn construction workforce to double as rollout accelerates

THE nbn™ will embark on one of Australia's largest workforce training initiatives to ensure the network can be rolled out sooner and at less cost to taxpayers.

Under the workforce training scheme, the nbn™ will work with delivery partners to recruit and train around 4,500 workers.  This will see the current project construction workforce doubled, with around 9,000 workers employed at the peak of the rollout.

The nbn™ has identified skills shortages and will work with delivery partners to ensure that trained workers have jobs after their training and stay on working in the project and the telecoms industry as the project proceeds.

The scheme will target both school leavers and people who have worked in the industry who require retraining.

"This is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Australia's history and it's certainly the most complex," Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull said. 

"Each day the project is being rolled out on hundreds of work-fronts across the country so it's vital we have enough people to roll out the network as we increase the pace of the rollout.

"And it's exciting to be a part of Australian history. This is a piece of infrastructure that will be around and maintained and augmented for decades, that will be vital to people's lives."

It comes as the nbn™ significantly accelerates its rollout. Since the election, the company has gone from being able to service one in 50 premises around the country to one in ¹⁰. 

The project will continue to significantly ramp-up in coming years, with the company on track to reach every home and business in Australia by 2020.

Under the scheme, the nbn™ will work with training organisations including TAFEs and private providers, to deliver relevant training programs, while delivery partners will be responsible for providing on-the-job training.

The nbn™ will also establish a skills register to ensure that workers are being retained in the industry.

Anyone who would like to register their interest in the training program can do so at the nbn™ website: www.nbnco.com.au

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