Simmons Global chief David Simmons says the company will put in place an "ambitious training and development program" to ensure it has the workforce needed for its planned $32 million advanced manufacturing precinct at Narromine.
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The CEO revealed plans for the project he says will create 250 jobs as it received a $4.8 million grant from the NSW government on Monday.
The Perth-based company is embarking on the development approval process, and has slated a 2022 opening for the facility.
Speaking at the press conference at which NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the funding, Mr Simmons addressed the issue of recruitment.
"We're fully aware that there's not a skills base, there's not experienced people that work on the type of equipment and technology we're going to bring into this," he said.
"So we're setting out on an ambitious training and development program in 2022 where we're going to be employing apprentices, trainees, cadets, and we need that across the full complement of disciplines so that we can actually bring them into this site, and deliver what we promise to do."
Speaking to the Daily Liberal, he said there would be a variety of jobs on offer.
"So not only is it fabrication, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, there's going to be aviation-related work," he said.
"But also the engineering aspects of it, so it's literally the full complement."
Dubbo and western NSW is a region that's recorded a 45 per cent increase in job vacancies in 2021 - the fourth-highest in the country, the Regional Australia Institute reported this month.
Mr Simmons was unfazed, saying the company was "confident" about finding the workers needed.
"The type of work that we're looking at is advanced roles," he said.
"It's what younger people are interested in, it's what they're familiar with.
"So we've actually got a training program which we're about to launch, which is going to be in 2022... then we're bringing with the training, our international technology providers are going to be supporting us, so yes, we're confident."
Mr Simmons said there would be both opportunities for local people and appointments that may attract professionals from other areas, who they wanted to "bring their families and get into the community".
"I think that's what the pandemic has taught everybody, you can work from anywhere in this country," he said.
"And the connectivity here is good, so we're excited about that."
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
