A trio of Inland Rail Skills Academy graduates have used their new-found skills to find employment with Inland Rail contractor Martinus Rail and make their own contributions to the major project.
The three graduates – Brett Whyman, Lawrence Button and Hamilton Currie – completed a five-week Certificate II in Rail Infrastructure course through the Inland Rail Skills Academy earlier this year. The course, provided by First Nations training provider Yakka Training, took place over five weeks in March and April in Wagga Wagga.
The graduates started work with Inland Rail contractor Martinus Rail and were assigned to the Stockinbingal to Parkes (S2P) section during the September possession, a 100-hour period where the rail line was closed and an intense period of construction took place.
With their thorough training and preparation, the three were able to make significant contributions to the project, impressing their colleagues.
Mr Whyman said Inland Rail Skills Academy appealed to him because it gave him an opportunity to "put my foot in the door and start in the rail industry".
"The advice I'd give to locals about the Inland Rail Skills Academy is: go for it. It's very rewarding once you get into the industry and the Inland Rail Skills Academy will help you with everything to get into the industry," he said.
"It gives you a better future, and if you're keen to get into the industry it's a good step to go through the Inland Rail Skills Academy. I'd like to stay with what I'm doing now for at least another two years, and then I'd like to become a (Track) Protection Officer.
"I like being outdoors, working with my hands, and the people I work with are a great bunch. They're always on the lookout for each other – it's just like a big family."
Inland Rail is an approximately 1600km freight rail line that will connect Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, enhancing Australia's national freight network and supply chain capabilities, connecting existing freight routes through rail, roads and ports, and supporting Australia's growth.
The Inland Rail sections between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales are prioritised for completion by 2027.
Inland Rail Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability said Stephen Jones said "Brett, Lawrence and Hamilton have really shown how the Inland Rail Skills Academy is creating a solid pathway into employment which creates fantastic outcomes for employers and graduates".
"We are proud to be able to help create a learning environment which leads directly into safe and effective employment for our graduates," he said.
Inland Senior Program Skills and Training Advisor Cathy Duncan said the company had "really great feedback from Martinus Rail about our three Inland Rail Skills Academy graduates".
"They have a good understanding of safety, they're switched on, they're punctual, they pay attention to detail and they've been working really well within the teams they're placed with," she said.
Martinus Rail Superintendent Adam O'Sullivan said the Inland Rail Skills Academy graduates "have been exceptional".
"They are prepared to listen and learn which gives us the opportunity to teach them the way we like to have our workers and we get them involved with the Martinus culture, which is joining in, having a say, and letting us know if they have problems," he said.