NBN opens new career paths

A SURGE in demand for the National Broadband Network could spark a jobs boom in the South West.

NBN Co is predicting its contractors will need an extra 200-300 employees from the South West, from Perth to Albany, over the next few years to keep up with the growing demand for high-speed internet.

NBN Co will target retired technicians, fibre splicers, lines-workers and copper cable jointers who used to work for Optus or Telstra to meet this demand. The company responsible for the installation of the network across the country has already launched a campaign to attract new workers to the telecommunications industry but now needs experienced workers to act as mentors.

NBN's industry workforce development program director Craig McLure said there was an immediate need for workers with experience in the copper network.

"The big challenge we have is to connect 12 million homes across the country, including 10 million which are fixed line, in the next two to three years," he said.

"Once we have connected them, we need to make sure the services are activated and ensure in the long term those services are maintained.

"At the moment it is strong emphasis on the build stage but that could progress and transition to a more sustainable activity in the next two to three years."

The workers who lodge their interest with NBN Co will work with contractors who are building and connecting with the network. Contractors Fulton Hogan installed the first of 130 node cabinets in Bunbury in October.

Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and Industries chief executive officer Ray Philp said NBN had already spurred more jobs in Bunbury and predicted more would be created in the future.

"It is one of the new streams where employment is going to come from," he said.

Under the Coalition Government's "fibre to the node" technology, a central "cabinet" or "node" is installed where Telstra "pillars" are located. The NBN fibre is then run to the node and uses Telstra's copper network for the final journey to homes.

The first node was installed near Hands Oval and the technology is a crucial element of the Coalition Government's fibre-to-the-node policy.

Bunbury residents will able to connect to the network via telecommunications providers after NBN conducts tests.

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