The Inland Rail Skills Academy partnered with Deborah Wilson Consulting Services to facilitate a ‘Pathways to Opportunities’ capability development program for businesses within the Beveridge to Albury – Tranche 2 section in Victoria and Illabo to Stockinbingal section in New South Wales.
The program, which ran between July and October, was designed to help regional businesses understand how to engage with buyers, prepare competitive tender submissions, and manage contracts for work on major projects and within regional supply chains.
Program eligibility
The program was open to:
- local and Indigenous businesses and social enterprises
- new and established businesses
- small to medium enterprises.
Priority for inclusion in the program was given to businesses in project construction industries located within the following Local Government Areas:
- Benalla, Vic
- Cootamundra-Gundagai, NSW
- Junee, NSW
- Mitchell, Vic
- Strathbogie, Vic
- Temora, NSW.
Mark Cunningham, Applied Building and Grounds Maintenance, Wagga Wagga said:
“The great thing about the Albury to Parkes Program was the clear advice on how major projects operate – and what they expect from suppliers.
Meeting the buyers, hearing their views, and getting the tools to improve our capabilities was a fantastic boost. I wholeheartedly recommend the Inland Rail Program to local suppliers.”
Andrea Dunstan, CA, of Albury Quarries Pty Ltd said:
“The Inland Rail Albury to Parkes Program was invaluable for building our tendering skills. The tools and advice from the Program have been fantastic and helped change our mindset about targeting opportunities. We now know what we have to provide in tenders and know how to ‘beat our own drum’ and explain the value we deliver. I highly recommend the Program to other businesses – it has helped us better target and win new work.”