Transfield moves to replace ageing workforce

By PAM GRAHAM

A powhiri in a railway shed in Otahuhu yesterday provided a heartfelt endorsement of the country's first rail school.

"We need to replenish manpower," said Hopa Bell, a track inspector and now tutor who has seen thousands leave in his 28 years in the industry.

For once, workers are at one with business consultants.

The workforce is ageing and inadequate for planned network investment.

Transfield Services, the company Tranz Rail outsourced network maintenance to two years ago, had been advised by consultants that its biggest business risk was an ageing workforce, said general manager Tony Fisher.

The average age of its 450 track maintenance workers is about 47.

The number of workers could increase by between 300 and 400, depending on the split of spending on improving track or bridges in investment pledged by the Government in the next five years.

The Government is to spend $200 million on the network in the track buyback deal negotiated last year with Tranz Rail majority owner Toll Holdings of Australia.

Though that deal is yet to be implemented, Transfield is gearing up.

Transfield estimates that for every extra $10 million a year of spending on track, 100 new workers will be needed.

It has partnered with Work & Income New Zealand to set up the school, which will move to different locations around the country and work with Australian trainers.

The leaders of the project spoke to a mostly Maori and Pacific Island audience about a new beginning for them and the industry they were joining.

The students are paid while attending and are guaranteed a job if they pass.

The school is certified by the New Zealand Qualification Authority. It cost $250,000 to set up and each course, with four weeks theory followed by practical experience, costs about $200,000 to run, said Fisher.

Existing Transfield staff are also being offered unit standard courses toward certificates and most have taken up the opportunity.

"Training and technical institutes no longer provide courses in areas such as rail maintenance, so in order to ensure we have a skilled workforce ready to take on the job, we have had to invest significantly in a training programme," said Fisher.

Tranz Rail, which changes its name today to Toll NZ, is also working on training more train drivers.

There is a global shortage of train drivers and recruitment firms have been "pinching" workers from New Zealand for Australia.