Whitsunday Industrial Workforce Development (WIWD)

What is WIWD?

The Whitsunday Industrial Workforce Development (WIWD) initiative has been established as a vehicle to ensure the Whitsunday Region has enough suitably qualified workers to meet the demand that will come from the ongoing industrial expansion in the area.

In all, it is predicted that a total of 25,000 people will be required to meet this industrial expansion, which is a result of:

- Current and proposed mining activity in the Bowen and Galilee Basins, west of the Whitsunday Region

- Massive infrastructure projects planned to enable the mining activity to take place, including roads, water and power infrastructure  

- The expansion of the Port of Abbot Point, just north of Bowen, which is being expanded to meet the future projected demand for shipping the coal and minerals overseas

- The second-tier jobs that will be created in the mining services sector, from architects and engineers to caterers and equipment hire companies. The aim is to build a sustainable, supplier network capable of providing everything the mining sector needs, right here in the Whitsundays

WIWD’s purpose: To build a sustainable skilled, local workforce, capable of meeting the industrial expansion of the Whitsunday Region.

How are we going to do this?

WIWD is a collaborative project that involves employers, training organisations and government departments. Importantly, it is an industry-led project that seeks to meet the demands and needs of the businesses requiring the workers.

The approach is to first gain an understanding of workforce issues and what industry’s needs are and collaborate with industry and community bodies to address the issues that will then impact on the ways in which skilling occurs.

In a high-growth area such as the Whitsundays, where the local workforce cannot keep up with the demand, it is also about attracting and retaining skilled workers in the area.

Need more information?

If you are an employer, we would like to hear from you. Bring your needs, wants, experience, expertise and knowledge to the table, to the collective benefit of everyone in the region.

If you are a prospective employee, visit the website: www.workinthewhitsundays.com for a raft of information about the region and to see what your employment options are.

For more information, call Kaylene Ascough on 07 4761 3690 or 0414 569 390. Alternatively, call WIWD chairman Colin Thompson on 0417 741 199.

Only by working together, can we achieve WIWD’s purpose.