Inland Rail helps young women get on track for rail careers
Inland Rail has helped young women from across the region launch potential future careers in the rail industry with the successful delivery of a Rail Readiness Course in Albury on Friday 15th November.
November 18, 2024
The one-day course helped the young women understand the requirements for a career in rail and construction and offered them a potential route towards future employment in the industry.
The Rail Readiness Course was delivered in partnership with the Stars Foundation, whose goal is to provide mentorship and support for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and young women and was delivered through First Nations training provider Yakka Training.
The one-day course was held at Albury’s James Fallon High School which mirrors the activities undertaken by the Clontarf Foundation, that works to improve the education, discipline, life skills, self-esteem and employment prospects of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.
Construction partner Martinus Rail, the contractor for the Albury to Illabo section of Inland Rail, already supports the Clontarf Foundation’s courses and acknowledges them as an excellent way into a sustainable career in the rail industry.
The night before the Rail Readiness Course was delivered, a dinner was held at which a group of women already in the construction industry, recounted their personal journeys to course attendees, explaining the challenges they have faced and how they joined Inland Rail and Martinus delivering one of Australia’s largest infrastructure projects.
Yakka Training’s Joel Thompson, who delivered the Rail Readiness course, also shared his experiences playing for several top-flight NRL teams, as well as the Indigenous All Stars in NSW Country Origin and UK side St Helens, and how these experiences – coupled with his own personal journey – have helped prepare him for entry into the rail industry.
Albury is part of the Inland Rail section from Albury to Parkes which has provided considerable employment and business opportunities.
Since July last year:
- Inland Rail has spent more than $7.4 million with 86 local businesses on the project between Albury and Parkes.
- On the same section, Inland Rail has employed a total of 434 people
- 135 of the total are local residents
- 40 of the total are women
- 40 of the total are First Nations people
- Of the 135 local residents, 24 are First Nations people.
Stephen Jones, Inland Rail Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability, said:
“Inland Rail’s core values are collaboration, accountability, respect and excellence, all of which are represented in our work with Stars Foundation and Yakka Training.
“By encouraging young women to enter the rail industry, we are opening doorways to careers which look to our core values every day as we build Inland Rail.
“The rail industry provides a rewarding and ongoing career path, and we want to upskill people who share our values, regardless of their story.”
Elsie Delana, Senior Protection Officer at Martinus Rail, Cathy Duncan, Skills & Training Advisor at the Inland Rail Skills Academy, Jessica Jackson, Stakeholder Engagement Lead at Inland Rail and Joel Thompson of Yakka Training, at the Rail Readiness Course in Albury.
