The Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre (GCEC) is full steam ahead, with early works to put the superstructure in place underway.
Give Where You Live Foundation CEO, Bill Mithen joined Victorian Minister for Regional Development, Gayle Tierney at the GCEC site, where 12 local trainees and apprentices are working on the job site thanks to government support through the Geelong City Deal.
These 12 local workers will be joined by 16 more as the project progresses through the GCEC Early Engagement Social Procurement (GEESP) program.
By the time Nyaal Banyul GCEC is complete, the 28 trainees and apprentices – who have experienced barriers to employment – will have received 12 weeks of fully funded training counting towards a Certificate II in Construction Pathways through Gordon TAFE.
The GEESP partnership has been co-designed by Development Victoria, the Give Where You Live Foundation’s GROW initiative, and gforce employment + recruitment and will be delivered by builder Built as the head contractor.
The program will support local businesses, individuals and the wider community by giving these trainees and apprentices real-world training and experience working with a team of 1,450 people on this much anticipated project.
“The social procurement results delivered through Nyaal Banyul will contribute to GROW’s goal of a future where everyone who wants to work has the opportunity and support to work, with a particular focus on addressing long-term unemployment and supporting suburbs in our region with higher levels of disadvantage,” Bill Mithen said.