Local jobs boost as Nyaal Banyul reaches half way mark

16/09/2024

Construction site at Nyaal Banyul on Geelong's waterfront. The new Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre (GCEC) has reached the halfway mark with construction almost complete on the precinct's centrepiece, Plenary and Exhibition Halls.

Locally owned and operated roofing company Faulkner Roofing is installing 8,000 square metres of roofing across the entire centre. This will provide 4,000 hours of work for 3 Geelong based roof plumbing apprentices as part of the Nyaal Banyul GCEC Early Engagement Social Procurement (GEESP) program.

Geelong-based Hanlon Industries has supplied 400 tonnes of locally manufactured steel for the structures. It's also hosted 2 boilermaker apprentices and 2 labourers from the GEESP program at its Corio factory. This has created 1,200 hours of full-time work and long-term job opportunities.

These apprentices will not only learn valuable skills, they will also experience working with a team of more than 500 people.

The GEESP partnership has been co-designed by Development Victoria, the Give Where You Live Foundation’s GROW initiative and social enterprise gforce. It's being delivered by Built as the head contractor. Through this program, Nyaal Banyul is establishing a gold standard for social procurement in government-led projects.

The project will provide, 45,000 employment hours to local apprentices and trainees. By the time the project is complete all GEESP apprentices and trainees will have had 12 weeks of fully funded training counting towards a Certificate II in Construction Pathways through Gordon TAFE together with construction experience.

Construction on Nyaal Banyul will create more than 500 local trade jobs, as well as 60 project management jobs.

Once the precinct is open, Plenary Hall will be able to host 1,000 people – drawing major national and international events to Geelong. Nyaal Banyul will also have 2 exhibition spaces, food retail spaces and a public plaza. It will also be home to Geelong’s largest hotel – the 200 room Crowne Plaza hotel.

The project is set to be complete in 2026, where it will support hundreds of ongoing jobs and boost visitation to the region. Since the project's announcement, the precinct has attracted around $250 million of private sector investment.

Nyaal Banyul is being delivered as a precinct partnership, with the Plenary Conventions consortium contracted to finance, design, construct and maintain the facility for 25 years in partnership with the Victorian Government and its funding partners under the Geelong City Deal.