Gippsland Critical Minerals (GCM) has released a comprehensive Jobs Guide for the Fingerboards Project, showing East Gippslanders what jobs the project could create.
Setting out roles expected across development, construction and long-term operations, the Fingerboards Project Jobs Guide covers 16 career areas including mining, environmental management and restoration, logistics, administration and information technology.
Expected to create around 400 construction jobs and approximately 300 ongoing operational roles, the Fingerboards Project will back local families, boost businesses and deliver lasting careers across the region.
Industry analysis shows that every direct mining job in Victoria can support around 1.4 additional jobs in the surrounding region and up to seven across a local government area through supply chains and local spending.
Mining jobs are also among the best paid in regional Australia. In Victoria, the sector paid $180.7 million in wages and salaries to around 1,479 resident employees, averaging about $122,000 per year.
GCM Chief Executive Officer Michelle Wood said the guide was developed in response to one of the most common questions the company hears from the community: what jobs the project will create and how locals can access them.
“This project means more jobs, stronger businesses and real opportunities for locals who want to build their future right here in East Gippsland,”
GCM Chief Executive Officer Michelle Wood
“People have been asking us for practical information about what roles will exist, when they will be needed and what skills are required. We’re proud to deliver a practical tool to help answer those questions.”
Inside the guide is a clear explanation of how roles are expected to emerge across the life of the project, from technical and environmental positions during the approvals stage through to construction trades and long-term operational careers.
The guide highlights training pathways, with GCM commencing work with local TAFE providers to develop vocational and apprenticeship opportunities for East Gippslanders interested in future roles.
Key policies are set out, including GCM’s Gippsland-First Employment Policy, which prioritises people who live in or around East Gippsland and confirms the project will not operate a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workforce.
Community and Stakeholder Lead Mick Harrington said the guide was designed to help locals plan for a future in East Gippsland.
“People want to know what this project means for them and their families, and how they can get a good job close to home,”
GCM Community and Stakeholder Lead Mick Harrington
“This guide shows the types of jobs that will exist, the qualifications typically required and how people can start building those skills today.”
Fingerboards represents a $295 million investment in East Gippsland, with an estimated $90 million annual economic contribution and more than $180 million in mining royalties over its expected 22-year operational life.
Direct employment is only part of the opportunity. Local contractors, suppliers and service businesses are already benefiting through the project, with work underway on the Mining and Rehabilitation Demonstration Pit (MRDP).
Copies of the Jobs Guide will be available at the East Gippsland Field Days this Friday and Saturday, where visitors can collect one from the GCM marquee. GCM team members will be on site throughout the event to speak with locals about the project and the jobs it will create.
Download the new Fingerboards Project Jobs Guide below.
