Generational jobs key to ship facility

Henderson-based engineering services company Civmec has reiterated its pledge to provide local jobs for generations to come during a school tour of the facility last week.

Year 11 students from Cecil Andrews College were shown the site where construction of a new $80 million ship building, repair and maintenance facility was in progress.

The company is hoping the project will help win a share of $89 billion in defence work as part of the Federal Government’s offshore patrol vessel program.

Civmec said 150 new jobs were being created during the facility’s construction and it would house about 1000 workers once complete, with 100 apprentice positions. Managing director of subsidiary company Forgacs, Mike Deeks, said generational employment was the key to the facility’s success.

“The building will be here for more than 100 years so it will not only be these kids working here, but their children and their children’s children,” he said.

“What we’ve already got here is a lot of people and a family atmosphere, which we’d like to see continue.

“We also see this as a great avenue to grow relationships and continue the strong connections with South Metro TAFE.”

Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia said he was confident jobs from the Civmec project would be picked up by residents in the Kwinana and Rockingham areas.

“It makes sense for locals who live close to Henderson, who can see the current and future job opportunities, to seek to work there,” he said.

“As the shipbuilding projects evolve, local training providers will also be active in providing industry specific training for young workers from the area.”

Next month Mr Papalia will join a number of defence advocates at the PACIFIC International Maritime Exposition to present WA’s case for the Federal Government project.

“We are also continuing to press with the Commonwealth Government to meet WA’s expectation that the SEA 1180 build program will see two vessels built in Adelaide and the remaining 10 in WA,” he said.

“The State Government expects that commitment to be honoured.”