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The skilled worker base in rural and regional NSW is to get a boost from a new recruitment campaign launched this week by Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), the operators of Australia’s main rail lines.
The campaign is aimed at recruiting over 150 new skilled employees for rail and signal maintenance positions, rail resleepering projects as well as data and administrative support.
The rural and regional focus is in line with the ARTC policy of placing employees across the State, ensuring they are close to work locations.
The positions are for signal maintenance, infrastructure maintenance workers and asset data administrators who will keep the rail track and signalling system in top working order.
ARTC Chief Executive Officer, David Marchant, said wage levels for the infrastructure maintenance workers ranged between $40,000 and $60,000 and for signal maintenance workers the levels were between $65,000 and $76,000 with extra payments for overtime, being on call and overnight expenses.
“We’re looking at a minimum payroll boost of over $10 million for regional and rural NSW as well as significant add-on job costs, all of which will create new economic benefits,” he said.
“This is in addition to the multi-billion dollar new and upgrade projects we have planned for NSW in the next few years.
“Communities also get a boost as the new workers and their families establish homes and become part of the community.
“As ARTC upgrades and maintains the main rail lines as well as maintaining the country regional rail network for the State Government, we will continue to need to employ skilled workers throughout the State,” Mr Marchant said.
“To meet our growing needs, ARTC has launched this recruitment campaign to attract new workers to maintain rail lines and signals so that rail keeps its standing as a major transport network.
“In many respects we’re seeing the rebirth of rail,” Mr Marchant said.
Issued: March 3, 2008
David Marchant
0419 733 201
Brian Dale
0418 204 198