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ueensland’s resource and construction industry came together to present over $15 billion of procurement and tender opportunities and highlight over 25,000 up and coming jobs over the next three years at an online industry conference on Thursday.
Due to COVID-19 and social distancing restrictions, the Connecting Industry Conference Qld attracted attendees from all over Australia including Spain, England, the U.S.A and New Zealand to hear from some of the largest infrastructure and renewable energy projects from North to South Queensland and Northern NSW.
Organised by Resource Industry Media (RIM), the conference was designed to assist the resource, construction, engineering, manufacturing, and services sector on the latest procurement and project information during COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
“Despite social distancing restrictions currently in place, growth within Queensland’s construction, renewables and resources sector highlighted the need for an event which linked the state’s major industries, infrastructure providers, planners and developers with Queensland’s highly skilled supply chain,” RIM managing director Kieran Moran said.
“Just six months ago it would have been impossible to get six major projects like the Commonwealth Government’s Inland Rail, Siemens Gamesa’s Forest Wind, Australian Future Energy’s Gladstone Energy and Ammonia project, and Pure Minerals Townsville Energy and Chemicals Hub in the same room at one time and it shows just how the industry can work together and continue to power Queensland’s economic recovery during COVID-19.”
A spokesperson for Inland Rail said their $6 billion infrastructure project will supply stimulus to regional communities as the economy rebuilds.
“Benefits will be seen and felt by everyday Australians from the 16,000 jobs created during the peak of construction through to the more efficient movement of goods to the shelves of businesses right across the country,” the spokesperson said.
Mr Moran said even though COVID-19 has created many issues with businesses being able to do their work, it has also offered opportunities to work differently and more economically.
“I believe more business will favour this way of participating in future conferences, particularly given the savings in travel time and added costs such as accommodation for events outside their home towns. It is also easier for high calibre speakers such as company executives to fit such presentations into their schedule rather than having to travel.”