HIGHWAYS PROJECTS AUSTRALIA

CPB  CONTRACTORS REGISTERED TRAINING ORGANISATION (RTO)

CPB (formerly Leighton Contractors) sought the development of a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to develop skills for employees to work competently in the Rail Corridor. This was to support their engagement in rail infrastructure projects across NSW. Oue experience enabled us to develop the RTO and its curricular content, assessment tools and suitably qualified trainers and assessors to train and issue national qualifications linked to rail infrastructure construction and maintenance.

TARCUTTA HUME ALLIANCE

The Tarcutta Hume Alliance (THA) was formed to design and construct the proposed 7 km upgrade the entire length of the Hume Highway to a four-lane divided carriageway. The THA team includes Leighton Contractors, AECOM, SMEC and Coffey Geo-tech with the RTA as the owner participant.

CPB (formerly Leighton Contractors) commenced an extensive workforce development plan to support the project. There were many initial challenges such as site remoteness, the rural nature of the community area, and the existing workforce skill levels with regard civil construction experience. Therefore, it was decided that a comprehensive workforce plan was needed and engagement with key support organisations both local and state institutions, local resources and agencies to enable sufficient resources to be available to meet company standards, and client objectives. 

To this end, a workforce development plan was devised working with Wodonga and CPB technical and quality departments to ensure the ability to deliver Cert 3 programmes to 64 staff.

The qualifications ranged across the board in specialist areas (Road Construction and Maintenance, Concreting, Bridge Construction and Maintenance, Plant Operations).

The success of the collaboration depended upon project foreman and supervisors assisting in assessing, integrating external suppliers to provide specialist training where TAFE needed supporting (e.g. GPS and Surveying equipment for mobile plant) upskilling and allowing TAFE staff to attend specialist courses (e.g. Concrete and Concrete paving).

​

The partners in this collaboration are

• CPB Contractors (training, technical and quality departments),

• Tarcutta Hume Alliance (comprising RTA, CPB, AECOM, Coffey),

• NISTC (Business division of Wodonga TAFE)

KEMPSEY BYPASS ALLIANCE

The very first national qualifications issued in Australia were to 23 CPB (formerly Leighton) Contractors Concrete Paving operators.

CPB Contractors have been leading an initiative including other Civil Construction companies, Key Clients (in this case the RMS), SkillsDMC Sector Skills Council, and sector Trade Associations in developing new national competencies for Concrete Paving Operations.

This reached conclusion earlier in 2012 with publication in Training Package (RII09) which included the first of 13 brand new Concrete Pavement competencies nationally available across the Australian VET system.  

Working collaboratively with North Coast TAFE, 23 CPB Contractors employees at the Kempsey Bypass Alliance project, have been assessed and successfully issued nationally recognised competence in their specific roles.

For many, this will be the first time any have achieved formal qualifications at this level, and recognition for their skills and abilities. This is also a welcome development for key clients such as the RMS, who now have formal evidence of client abilities, and confirmation of work team skills to deliver successful highway projects.

This is believed to be not only an Australian, but also an international first for this type of qualification, as although concrete roads have been constructed for many years  in other parts of the world, no  national qualification scheme has to date been developed.