​Titan Recruitment were honoured to be a Sliver Sponsor for the second year running for the RTSA WA Chapter Annual Dinner held on 20th October 2022. It was an absolute pleasure to hear what WA is planning within rail sustainability from special guest speakers:·        Owen Thomas, the Deputy CEO at Infrastructure WA·        Elwyn Gearon, the General Manager of Network and Infrastructure at PTA·        Candis Rhodes, the Manager: Sustainability, Rail at Rio Tinto.We were also extremely pleased to host our Titan-owned annual Transport networking event on the 9th of November this year. We would like to thank our guest speakers and everyone who came along for the enjoyable evening.Our special guest speakers:The key takeaways from the event include:Metronet and Freight Network update:·        Planned 18-month shut of the Armadale line will impact 3 key projects (Thornlie, Yanchep and LXR)·        High-capacity signalling project within its next phase, with 3 contenders (Wabtec, Siemens and Jacobs / Downer and Alstom / Hitachi and Calibre)·        1.4 billion in funding for the upgrade of tier 2 and tier 3 train lines.  Key Changes to Environmental Legislation and Regulations:·        Environmental Protection Act WA 1986 (EP Act)1.      Part IV from 25 October 20212.      Part IV Cost recovery from January 20223.      Part V Native Vegetation Clearing Permit from 25 October 20214.      Part V emissions and discharges by December 2023The facts about studying Engineering:·        More than 50,000 engineers are estimated to be needed over the next 3 years·        40% of students commencing do not graduate with a full degree ·        16% of students are female·        Curtin University currently has 3,107 students in Engineering (2022 intake)·        Graduate Engineers will more likely enter an industry if they already know an Engineer working in the field How to attract graduate engineers into your business:·        Get visible, and stand out from other industries ·        Provide a career pathway through implementing ongoing development and mentorship schemes ·        Offer tours of your operation to Engineering students·        Provide paid internships and vacation work ·        Guest speak at the universities to Engineering students in their final year·        Help them identify as an engineer, this might look like:1.      The opportunity to solve problems creatively and practically2.      Design work. Not doing just grunt work3.      Working on a variety of projects4.      Job variety and advancement opportunities5.      Ongoing education and training opportunities6.      Workplace mentoring and support ​Titan was fortunate to be an Associate Sponsor of the 12th Annual WA Projects Conference in November 2022. There were many insightful key guest speakers discussing some very interesting subjects. Some of the local project takeaways are listed below:·        Westport State Governments' long-term program to investigate, plan and build a future port in Kwinana with integrated road and rail transport networks.·        Western Power Supporting Decarbonisation and ensuring a Reliable Supply to our communities. ·        Infrastructure in state discussing the challenges in the construction space and explaining how every building counts, a practical plan for emissions reduction ·        Discussions around accounting Social Benefits of regional transport development.For more information regarding upcoming Titan events or Rail and Infrastructure & Buildings market insights please call Lianne Adlington on 08 6467 0603 or Jani Els on 08 6467 0605 or email requesting a call back.

​Rail Industry InsightsThe Australian Rail Industry helps by generating $29.8 billion to the economy each year through major projects and asset management activities, which contributes to an additional 165,000 jobs each year. Over the next 15 years, Australia has pledged $155 billion of investment covering incentives such as reduction of emissions, improvements of safety on the networks, such as removal of level crossings and upgrades to signalling systems. With this much activity within the sector, the focus will be on rewarding those in the industry and attracting new talent due to the Railway Industry having the oldest workforce within the Infrastructure Industry as a whole. So how is the industry working to attract this new talent? A focus will be on skilled migrant workers from overseas, but a lot of the focus has been put into the development of the current workforce and looking at Australia at a national level to benchmark standards from state to state. Reducing the pay gap between male and female employees is still top of mind, as male employees sit at an additional 5% more than female employees across the industry. It’s been great to see that at least 70% of Rail businesses are now participating in hiring graduates and creating a program for their development. I feel is an excellent step to encourage new talent into the field! New Staff MembersWith so many projects within the Rail sector we at Titan are finding demand for our services and in turn have had the pleasure of introducing 3 new members to the team: Jani Els, Jace Daniel and Mikhaila Vanek.Jani Els – Environmental / Geotechnical / Station services Jani’s recruitment experience spans from her time in South Africa, where she supported a wide range of businesses from SMEs to large corporate entities with their staffing requirements. She was tasked with placing top skilled engineers within the Building and Construction sector and the Renewable Energy sector focusing on Solar, Wind and Energy Storage disciplines. Jani brings her wealth of expertise to Titan Recruitment, where she now sources technical professionals within our Infrastructure & Buildings team. Jani’s passion for recruitment stems from supporting the growth and development of her candidates and clients and completing the full recruitment cycle. In her spare time, you’ll find Jani exploring the outdoors whilst hiking, or cooking up a storm in the kitchen.Jace Daniel – Support construction professionals and designers/drafting Jace’s experience from working as a labouring hand to hydraulics in mining machinery and in retail has given Jace a range of transferrable skills that he brings to recruitment. Whilst new to the recruitment industry, he aims to take advantage of the support on offer to craft his own formula for recruitment. He now provides support to construction professionals and designers/drafters. Jace understands from the beginning that everyone is different and needs to be approached in a custom way, whilst being considerate of their needs and having the right information upfront. Jace comes from a strong musical background, where in his spare time he is often doing promotional work for the music industry, often playing gigs, and does session work with other musicians.Mikhaila Vanek – Resourcing professionals within Track and Signalling Mikhaila brings her 15+ years in sales and customer service to Titan Recruitment as a Resourcer in our Rail division. With the experience of hitting targets and strong attention to detail, Mikhaila has the determination needed to accomplish her core goal: sourcing the right candidates for the right roles. Mikhaila is known to take the time to really listen to what a customer/candidate wants so that she can better meet their needs and requirements. She’s focused on empowering herself with as much knowledge as possible within the Rail space to support her team members to the best of her ability. In her spare time, you’ll often find Mikhaila travelling, hiking and camping with her family.Geotechnical UpdateWe are excited to share that we have partnered with leading environmental consultancies in the sector, assisting them on retained searches. We are perfectly positioned to prioritise companies in this regard that partner with Titan Recruitment which ultimately allows us to deliver quality over quantity ensuring the deadlines of parties involved are met. We had success in the environmental impact assessments, contaminated land, and Heritage placements. The upturn in these projects is due to plenty of awarded projects in the environmental industry and early stages of the projects. The answer is in the soil!According to the Geotechnical Services Global Market Report 2022, the projected cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) is 9.6%. The market for geotechnical services worldwide is projected to increase from $1.92 billion in 2021 to $2.10 billion in 2022. The COVID-19 impact, which had earlier resulted in restrictive containment measures including social withdrawal, remote working, and the cessation of commercial activities that resulted in operational issues, is largely to blame for the rise as businesses resume operations and adjust to the new normal. At a CAGR of 6.4%, the market is anticipated to reach $2.70 billion in 2026. Some of the major players (including, but not limited to) in the geotechnical markets are AECOM, Jacobs Engineering Group, AMEC Engineering, Arup Group, Bechtel Group, CH2M HILL, Furgo, Gradline Limited, Geoquip Marine Group, Stantec, Tera Tech, Turner Construction and WSP Group.Structerre Consulting: All geotechnical-related work for a new hotel building located on Hay Street has been awarded to Structerre Consulting. The project will include twenty-two stories above ground and three underground. Bunbury Outer Ring Road: Due to the nature of this project, it naturally required numerous approvals from both the state and federal regulators to evaluate the environmental impact. Aurecon: With the completion of the Joy Baluch AM Bridge Duplication Project being projected for the end of 2022 (weather permitting), significant environmental planning and geotechnical engineering works had to be implemented.  The Australian labour market welcomes the “Job Summit” today.According to ABC News, the federal government's two-day Jobs and Skills Summit will begin in the nation's capital this morning, when the doors to the great hall of Parliament House will be thrown open to 143 delegates.Anthony Albanese spoke extensively on his desire to bring together unions, large corporations, and industry groups to brainstorm solutions to the country's workforce and economic difficulties during the election campaign.The combination of skill shortages, slow wage growth, and skyrocketing inflation was creating problems for workers, companies, and governments alike. In September 2022, Mr Albanese, the current prime minister will now get the opportunity to host this much-needed event. Could there be a change in the levels of skilled immigration? Would there be alignment on how wages could be lifted going forward? 482 Visa & Project Update482 Visa Update:We are proud to be partnering with 6 Rail businesses and Consultancies over the past 3 months to offer much-needed additional skilled resources from overseas. We’re monitoring the processing times for the visas and this is currently sitting between 2 to 5 weeks. For more information on this offering, please click here to view our website.Project Updates:Western Australia’s Forrest Field Airport link will be operational from 9th October Awaiting shortlisting components of the HCS project in WA and NSW 100 new accessible trams in Victoria has been awarded to Alstom Stanmore Station upgrade in Sydney has been awarded to Haslin Construction Hitachi has begun major works to install new technology in the NGR fleet Martinus has been awarded the interstate terminal at MoorebankTitan Events SummaryOn behalf of Titan Recruitment, we were honoured to hold our first Women in Industry” breakfast networking event this month. It was an absolute pleasure to see so many Infrastructure professionals together in one room celebrating and networking with each other. Key takeaways from the event include:Female Workforce: Women make up just 24% of the Engineering Industry and the highest participation of the female workforce comes from the Rail & Roads sector, which has a 27% of women. The lowest would be within Mining, which is made up of 13.4% female professionals and 15% of females make up the Construction Industry. Females in Management: We have 22% of our management roles filled by women and last year 30% of Infrastructure professionals hired were female with 32% of all promotions being from the female workforce. This is a massive improvement compared to the Mining Industry, which has 0.5% of its workforce in Management roles, however this is still far away from the numbers we want to see.Females Studying Engineering: Did you know only 18,000 students study Engineering each year and only 3240 of these students are female? Engineers Australia completed a survey back in June and the results showed that only 7% of women studying a degree considered Engineering as an option and 51% were not even aware that Engineering was an option for them to study. Federal Budget: Hopefully the $2.1 billion investment within the Federal Budget will increase the number of women in the profession. Initiatives such as the reduction of the gender pay gap, and providing support for families and women returning to work are top priorities. Although, it’s good to see that funding is invested in the recruitment and retention of women where over 80% of businesses are involved in this. Such activities would be funded by scholarships, female student local construction programs and parental pay from day 1. I was also extremely lucky to attend this year’s Brisbane ARA Industry networking dinner back in June with Dan, our I&B Manager in our East Coast division.The event featured key guest speaker Neil Scales OBE, Director General, Department of Transport and Main Roads. It was fantastic to hear firsthand the success and challenges that the state of Queensland has been facing within the Rail Industry. Key takeaways from the event include:  $7 billion investment over four years in the transport and roads investment program (QTRIP) Smart ticketing solutions such as tapping on and off with a bank card Queensland will upgrade 12 stations over 6 years 65 new six-car passenger trains will be introduced to the network 65 Rail crossings are under review for removalTMR is undertaking planning activities to grow capacity ahead of the 2032 Olympic games For more information regarding upcoming Titan events or Rail and Infrastructure & Buildings market insights please call Lianne Adlington on 08 6467 0603 or email requesting a callback.

The beginning of April was the budget announcement from the Federal Government, which was great to see such investment into key projects from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, including commuter car park upgrades at Woy Woy and Panania in NSW to high capacity signaling in WA. This is also key to having more passengers return to rail as it becomes more accessible and easier to commute via the railways.April was also a time for networking here in WA with the Heavy Haul event where plans were shared on how to increase productivity, how to have more sustainable Railways in the Pilbara, and to learn more about the new hydro locomotives. It was fantastic to see the focus within the Rail community across Rail R U OK Day on the 28th of April and the dedication of the TrackSAFE Foundation to raise awareness via Railway workers and passengers.According to Engineers Australia’s Engineering Skills – Supply & Demand discussion paper in March 2022, more than 58% of Australia’s Engineers were born overseas and the occupation project projections to 2025 estimate an average growth across the profession of 12.2%, which is 5% higher than pre COVID-19. Regarding the skills shortage, Titan is pleased to announce the first few appointments to our labour hire services, along with three appointments for our own Titan team through the sponsorship agreement. We are also seeing more flexibility from our Clients to onboard international candidates, those in regional locations and different states to work remotely for their teams, which is a huge step forward to ensuring the delivery of these major projects in a timely manner.For more information on Titan’s offering of sponsoring international skilled candidates, please click here.With the additional demand for Engineering professionals due to budget approval on major projects, we are pleased to see a strong industry commitment to progressing gender diversity into these new roles. Infrastructure magazine states that 80% of Rail business’ now have recruitment policies or strategies to improve the diversity within their organisations. The ARA’s now has six key focus points to include more women in rail, which include attraction, retention, networking, industry improvement, recognition, and benchmarking. The ARA’s Gender Diversity Report from March 2022 states that 32% of new appointments made last year in Rail Engineering were to women and 30% of Management hires were made to women too, which is up 4% since 2019. KEY PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENTS​Over the last month, there has been some key project announcements.CBH and Rail network manager, ARC Infrastructure have had funding to the following projects;- 11 Rail Sliding extensions – Moora, Brookton, Cranbrook, Broomehill, Avon, Kellerberrin, Dowerin, Konnongorring, Ballidu, Mingenew, and Perenjori North.- Midland Line upgrade from Carnamah and Mingenew-Recommissioning of the Narrogin-Kulin Rail and Narrogin-Wickepin tier 3 line.The Murray Basin Rail Project on the Regional Rail revival in Melbourne awarded to SMEC, Coleman Rail / Acciona.Geelong Fast Rail Project Victoria technical Advisory services awarded to Aecom and GHD.South Geelong to Waurn Ponds duplication in Victoria has been awarded to McConnell Dowell, Downer, Arup and WSP.If you would like more information in regard to any market information please reach out to Lianne Adlington on 08 6467 0603 or email requesting a call back.​

The beginning of April was the budget announcement from the Federal Government, which was great to see such investment into key projects from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, including commuter car park upgrades at Woy Woy and Panania in NSW to high capacity signaling in WA. This is also key to having more passengers return to rail as it becomes more accessible and easier to commute via the railways.April was also a time for networking here in WA with the Heavy Haul event where plans were shared on how to increase productivity, how to have more sustainable Railways in the Pilbara, and to learn more about the new hydro locomotives. It was fantastic to see the focus within the Rail community across Rail R U OK Day on the 28th of April and the dedication of the TrackSAFE Foundation to raise awareness via Railway workers and passengers.According to Engineers Australia’s Engineering Skills – Supply & Demand discussion paper in March 2022, more than 58% of Australia’s Engineers were born overseas and the occupation project projections to 2025 estimate an average growth across the profession of 12.2%, which is 5% higher than pre COVID-19. Regarding the skills shortage, Titan is pleased to announce the first few appointments to our labour hire services, along with three appointments for our own Titan team through the sponsorship agreement. We are also seeing more flexibility from our Clients to onboard international candidates, those in regional locations and different states to work remotely for their teams, which is a huge step forward to ensuring the delivery of these major projects in a timely manner.For more information on Titan’s offering of sponsoring international skilled candidates, please click here.With the additional demand for Engineering professionals due to budget approval on major projects, we are pleased to see a strong industry commitment to progressing gender diversity into these new roles. Infrastructure magazine states that 80% of Rail business’ now have recruitment policies or strategies to improve the diversity within their organisations. The ARA’s now has six key focus points to include more women in rail, which include attraction, retention, networking, industry improvement, recognition, and benchmarking. The ARA’s Gender Diversity Report from March 2022 states that 32% of new appointments made last year in Rail Engineering were to women and 30% of Management hires were made to women too, which is up 4% since 2019. KEY PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENTS​Over the last month, there has been some key project announcements.CBH and Rail network manager, ARC Infrastructure have had funding to the following projects;- 11 Rail Sliding extensions – Moora, Brookton, Cranbrook, Broomehill, Avon, Kellerberrin, Dowerin, Konnongorring, Ballidu, Mingenew, and Perenjori North.- Midland Line upgrade from Carnamah and Mingenew-Recommissioning of the Narrogin-Kulin Rail and Narrogin-Wickepin tier 3 line.The Murray Basin Rail Project on the Regional Rail revival in Melbourne awarded to SMEC, Coleman Rail / Acciona.Geelong Fast Rail Project Victoria technical Advisory services awarded to Aecom and GHD.South Geelong to Waurn Ponds duplication in Victoria has been awarded to McConnell Dowell, Downer, Arup and WSP.If you would like more information in regard to any market information please reach out to Lianne Adlington on 08 6467 0603 or email requesting a call back.​

Spotlight on Rail​The Rail Industry showed no signs of slowing down across Australia throughout last year with several major project announcements across the Metronet, Inland Rail, Melbourne Level Crossing Removal program, Port Botany, Regional Rail Revival, and the Sydney Metro Station upgrades. It has been just as busy for the Freight industry with significant investment being plowed into Tier 2 Train Lines and with CBH production increasing to an estimated 2.2 million tonnes per month. They have been given the go-ahead for four additional grain load-out facilities at Moora, Brookton, Cranbrook and Broomehill.Titan has also seen growth within the Rail discipline from hosting our first Rail Networking event here in WA to sponsoring the RTSA WA Annual Dinner in November 2021. We have also partnered with an additional six Rail businesses across Australia, whilst bringing on two additional Consultants dedicated to recruiting within the Rail Industry.For more information on our Rail event summary please click here.​Key Rail Projects​Key Project announcements over the past 6 months:Midland StationLXR Armadale Level CrossingByford Rail ExtensionShepparton LineBlackheath StationNorth East Rail LineNarromine to NarrabriNarrabri to North StartBorder to GowriePakenham Level Crossings ​Projects Given the Green Light:The Melbourne Airport Link  Airport Station Package  Viaduct Package  Corridor Package  Maribyrnong River Bridge Package  Sunshine to Albion Package, and  Rail Systems Package.Stockinbingal to ParkesHigh Capacity Signalling – Perth Skills Shortage​​​Whilst all the project work is increasing, we still have a shortage of the technical skills that we require to deliver these projects. Expertise within track, signalling and OLE are always the main pressure points in the Rail Industry. We’re pleased to announce that Titan has the approval to provide Skilled International Candidates to our client base in Australia via a TS482 Labour-On Hire Agreement. This means that we work with the Department of Immigration to fast-track visa sponsorship for international individuals, supplying our clients with these skilled candidates to support the demands of their ongoing rail projects.For more information about our international candidate sponsorship please click here.Gender Diversity​​According to the Australian Rail Association, we’re seeing a focus on gender diversity with more women advancing their careers in Rail. Their recent survey showed that women now make up 27% of the national Rail workforce. This is a 6% improvement over the past 2 years! They have also reported that 22% of management roles are now held by women, which is excellent to see their career progression as these women become promoted.Salary Reporting​​The Professional Engineers Employment and Remuneration Report 2021/22 states that salaries have increased by 1.6% in the last year within the Engineering Profession. Those with an accreditation like RPEQ have had a premium increase of 27.3% with a median package of $165,138, compared to a median of $131,400 for those without the accreditation. Average salaries across Australia within the Rail industry are currently reported at: Level 1 (0-2 years) $77,223 packageLevel 2 (3-4 years) $132,237 packageLevel 3 (5-7) $156,798 packageLevel 4 (8-9) $171,863 packageLevel 5 (10-20) $274,742 packageLevel 6 Senior Leader $297,115 packageTo download and read the report please click here.Over the last six months, the biggest challenge that our clients are facing is trying to fill a range of the below roles, where we are pleased to assist with numerous successful placements from both local and international candidates.Track InspectorTrack EngineersEngineering ManagersDesign ManagersRail DesignersProject EngineersProject ManagersSignalling EngineersSupervisors – Track, Overhead and SignallingProtection OfficersSCADA / Communication EngineersPlannersDot Controllers / AdminsKey Workplace Factors​​From sourcing these Candidates and finding out their key motivators on wishing to pursue other opportunities, I have found that the reasons they are seeking new employment have been widely to do with the below factors. I’ve found that the top reason candidates are choosing a new role is because their personal development plan was not being put in place effectively in their existing role.Professional DevelopmentAn Increase in payUnhealthy workplace cultureA more challenging workloadSeeking better managementImproved work-life balancePromotionIn my opinion, professional development is a critical aspect of staff retention, and I encourage all leaders across any business to reflect on this information and ask themselves, “have I done all I can to ensure I am doing right by my current employees?.” I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on why you believe 12.9% of the Engineering community have moved into a new opportunity in the last 12 months. Is this a high percentage? What do you see as key factors for staff retention? Want to know more information? From specific job titles to market information and project awards, please do let me know! I’d be happy to provide further insights over a coffee / virtual coffee throughout the coming month.Please contact Lianne Adlington on (08) 6467 0603 or LianneA@titanrecruitment.com.au for assistance.​

Spotlight on Rail​The Rail Industry showed no signs of slowing down across Australia throughout last year with several major project announcements across the Metronet, Inland Rail, Melbourne Level Crossing Removal program, Port Botany, Regional Rail Revival, and the Sydney Metro Station upgrades. It has been just as busy for the Freight industry with significant investment being plowed into Tier 2 Train Lines and with CBH production increasing to an estimated 2.2 million tonnes per month. They have been given the go-ahead for four additional grain load-out facilities at Moora, Brookton, Cranbrook and Broomehill.Titan has also seen growth within the Rail discipline from hosting our first Rail Networking event here in WA to sponsoring the RTSA WA Annual Dinner in November 2021. We have also partnered with an additional six Rail businesses across Australia, whilst bringing on two additional Consultants dedicated to recruiting within the Rail Industry.For more information on our Rail event summary please click here.​Key Rail Projects​Key Project announcements over the past 6 months:Midland StationLXR Armadale Level CrossingByford Rail ExtensionShepparton LineBlackheath StationNorth East Rail LineNarromine to NarrabriNarrabri to North StartBorder to GowriePakenham Level Crossings ​Projects Given the Green Light:The Melbourne Airport Link  Airport Station Package  Viaduct Package  Corridor Package  Maribyrnong River Bridge Package  Sunshine to Albion Package, and  Rail Systems Package.Stockinbingal to ParkesHigh Capacity Signalling – Perth Skills Shortage​​​Whilst all the project work is increasing, we still have a shortage of the technical skills that we require to deliver these projects. Expertise within track, signalling and OLE are always the main pressure points in the Rail Industry. We’re pleased to announce that Titan has the approval to provide Skilled International Candidates to our client base in Australia via a TS482 Labour-On Hire Agreement. This means that we work with the Department of Immigration to fast-track visa sponsorship for international individuals, supplying our clients with these skilled candidates to support the demands of their ongoing rail projects.For more information about our international candidate sponsorship please click here.Gender Diversity​​According to the Australian Rail Association, we’re seeing a focus on gender diversity with more women advancing their careers in Rail. Their recent survey showed that women now make up 27% of the national Rail workforce. This is a 6% improvement over the past 2 years! They have also reported that 22% of management roles are now held by women, which is excellent to see their career progression as these women become promoted.Salary Reporting​​The Professional Engineers Employment and Remuneration Report 2021/22 states that salaries have increased by 1.6% in the last year within the Engineering Profession. Those with an accreditation like RPEQ have had a premium increase of 27.3% with a median package of $165,138, compared to a median of $131,400 for those without the accreditation. Average salaries across Australia within the Rail industry are currently reported at: Level 1 (0-2 years) $77,223 packageLevel 2 (3-4 years) $132,237 packageLevel 3 (5-7) $156,798 packageLevel 4 (8-9) $171,863 packageLevel 5 (10-20) $274,742 packageLevel 6 Senior Leader $297,115 packageTo download and read the report please click here.Over the last six months, the biggest challenge that our clients are facing is trying to fill a range of the below roles, where we are pleased to assist with numerous successful placements from both local and international candidates.Track InspectorTrack EngineersEngineering ManagersDesign ManagersRail DesignersProject EngineersProject ManagersSignalling EngineersSupervisors – Track, Overhead and SignallingProtection OfficersSCADA / Communication EngineersPlannersDot Controllers / AdminsKey Workplace Factors​​From sourcing these Candidates and finding out their key motivators on wishing to pursue other opportunities, I have found that the reasons they are seeking new employment have been widely to do with the below factors. I’ve found that the top reason candidates are choosing a new role is because their personal development plan was not being put in place effectively in their existing role.Professional DevelopmentAn Increase in payUnhealthy workplace cultureA more challenging workloadSeeking better managementImproved work-life balancePromotionIn my opinion, professional development is a critical aspect of staff retention, and I encourage all leaders across any business to reflect on this information and ask themselves, “have I done all I can to ensure I am doing right by my current employees?.” I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on why you believe 12.9% of the Engineering community have moved into a new opportunity in the last 12 months. Is this a high percentage? What do you see as key factors for staff retention? Want to know more information? From specific job titles to market information and project awards, please do let me know! I’d be happy to provide further insights over a coffee / virtual coffee throughout the coming month.Please contact Lianne Adlington on (08) 6467 0603 or LianneA@titanrecruitment.com.au for assistance.​

Titan Recruitment were honoured to be a Sliver Sponsor of the RTSA WA Chapter Annual Dinner held on the 11th November this year. It was an absolute pleasure to hear from Peter Woronzow, Acting Director General at the Department of Transport first-hand about the challenges and updates on the Metronet projects. He also touched on the plans to look into the feasibility for some new fast routes including an East Wanneroo line and Bunbury Fast Train to name a few.​​We were also extremely pleased to host our first Rail Networking Event on the 16th November this year. We would like to thank our guest speakers and everyone who came along for the enjoyable evening.Our special guest speakers:​​The key takeaways from the event include:Your go-to visa subclasses for bringing in international talent are:400 Subclass > Highly skilled & Project/Contract Position (3 –6 month visa grant)482 Subclass > Skill Shortage (2 –4 year visa grant)494 Subclass >Regional (5 year visa grant > PR)Global Talent Program >Fast-tracked PR in 6 weeksKey Growth Projects for ARC Infrastructure include:ASCIKenwick Intermodal TerminalMineral Resources Expansion Iron OreSalt Lake PotashTalison LithiumVRX Silica SandsPerpetual Resources Silica SandsMacarthur Iron OreMount Gibson Iron OreMetronet update:More trains over existing networksLonger Trains – PSUPMore frequent trains – HCS projectFeasibility of Wanneroo Line and Bunbury Fast TrainBeyond Metronet – Freight & Grain:Efficiency of Freight services in the urban domain (especially Freight to/from Port)Targeted uplift to Rail Freight task to/from Fremantle Port to 20%Targeted 30% of container traffic by Rail this will be supported by Swan River Crossing and New Intermodal TerminalsFocus on Revitalising Agricultural Regional Freight StrategyFederal + State investment of $200 Million into Tier 2 routesLooking into the Feasibility of reopening some Tier 3 routesAllocation of CBH sidings at Cranbrook, Broomehill, Brookton and Moora​​For more information regarding upcoming Titan events or market insights please call Lianne Adlington on 08 6467 0603.

Titan Recruitment were honoured to be a Sliver Sponsor of the RTSA WA Chapter Annual Dinner held on the 11th November this year. It was an absolute pleasure to hear from Peter Woronzow, Acting Director General at the Department of Transport first-hand about the challenges and updates on the Metronet projects. He also touched on the plans to look into the feasibility for some new fast routes including an East Wanneroo line and Bunbury Fast Train to name a few.​​We were also extremely pleased to host our first Rail Networking Event on the 16th November this year. We would like to thank our guest speakers and everyone who came along for the enjoyable evening.Our special guest speakers:​​The key takeaways from the event include:Your go-to visa subclasses for bringing in international talent are:400 Subclass > Highly skilled & Project/Contract Position (3 –6 month visa grant)482 Subclass > Skill Shortage (2 –4 year visa grant)494 Subclass >Regional (5 year visa grant > PR)Global Talent Program >Fast-tracked PR in 6 weeksKey Growth Projects for ARC Infrastructure include:ASCIKenwick Intermodal TerminalMineral Resources Expansion Iron OreSalt Lake PotashTalison LithiumVRX Silica SandsPerpetual Resources Silica SandsMacarthur Iron OreMount Gibson Iron OreMetronet update:More trains over existing networksLonger Trains – PSUPMore frequent trains – HCS projectFeasibility of Wanneroo Line and Bunbury Fast TrainBeyond Metronet – Freight & Grain:Efficiency of Freight services in the urban domain (especially Freight to/from Port)Targeted uplift to Rail Freight task to/from Fremantle Port to 20%Targeted 30% of container traffic by Rail this will be supported by Swan River Crossing and New Intermodal TerminalsFocus on Revitalising Agricultural Regional Freight StrategyFederal + State investment of $200 Million into Tier 2 routesLooking into the Feasibility of reopening some Tier 3 routesAllocation of CBH sidings at Cranbrook, Broomehill, Brookton and Moora​​For more information regarding upcoming Titan events or market insights please call Lianne Adlington on 08 6467 0603.

SPOTLIGHT ON RAIL​As the 2020/21 financial year ends and we write our update, the last of the track slabs are being laid on the much-anticipated Forrestfield Airport Link.  This keystone project on the Metronet program is heading into completion of testing and commissioning period with a big push to hit their reviewed target for December 2021. Other projects ending in the coming months include the Freight facility at Kenwick and the Claremont Station, making room for the start of the PTA’s 10-year program to update their Signalling systems to high capacity. With the Engineering hubs still full steam ahead on the Morley, Ellenbrook and the Swan River Crossing, we eagerly await the tender awarding in the next month for the Midland Station and the LXR.​​​With all this work we have a shortage of the technical skills required to deliver these projects. Expertise within track, bridge design, and OLE are the main pressure points but with HCS gearing up, we expect the same issue with Signalling this coming year.  SPOTLIGHT ON ROADS​Another hot area in the WA market is Roads - Critical infrastructure and road/highways projects currently in the stages of design and delivery.  Major improvements, new bypasses, and technology upgrade projects in the Metropolitan region and also regional development is a focal point for the WA state government.​​The Mitchell Freeway extension and the south-bound widening are also under construction this year bolstering the need for boots on the ground.  Looking down the pipeline, we have the planning stages for Great Eastern Highway realignment, extension for Tonkin Highway, upgrades to Great Eastern Highway Bypass, Red Dog Highway, Thomas & Nicholson Roads, as well as Kelvin, Welshpool & Hale Roads.  The list goes on...​​A new project that is set to get a lot of hype will be the Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridge.  The last pedestrian bridge Perth delivered was reported to be $16m over budget and more than 12 months delayed.  That was of course the Matagarup Bridge which links pedestrians from East Perth to Optus Stadium.  Fingers crossed for a smoother journey for the Causeway.Shortages being seen lie in the need for MRWA knowledge and fluency of standards but the pool of local candidates is becoming dry.  Titan has been successfully bringing Australian citizens and PR holders home - specifically for Drainage Engineers and Bridge Engineers. Although, there is still a need for Australian experience for Highways design. We continue to source these gems for the current and upcoming needs. SPOTLIGHT ON BUILDINGS​Buildings have been quieter in recent years but over the last 6 months, we have seen an increase in roles being released.  Not in the way of major projects but in improved sentiment and investment in key team members.  Confidence and pipeline of work all seem on the up.  Smaller companies that have really chipped away at the market are providing quality work which has resulted in substantial growth as they take the “quieter achievers” approach. Building services, particularly with some of the larger consultancies are reaching out to Titan for specialist skills in Fire Systems, CFD, Hydraulics and Security.  ​​ SKILLS SHORT MARKET​The current busy market and skills shortage is seeing experienced candidates being spoilt for choice!  They have many opportunities presented at once, often competing with higher salaries, and drastic counteroffers presented in the final stages. Candidates have never been in a better position for opportunities in the WA market, however some employers are nervous around retention of staff and the need to increase capability for upcoming projects. Companies are acting swiftly when candidates are on the market to ensure that they do not miss out.​​EFFECTS OF COVID-19​Travel restrictions due to COVID further intensify the pressures on a market that is already tight, especially with companies unable to look to the East coast due to lockdowns, travel restrictions, etc. Additional costs are worn with the price of flights and the required quarantines. For offshore candidates with no working rights, sponsorships are still being processed but are doing so slowly with an estimated approvals time of around 9 months. Sponsorships need to be viewed as long-term plans rather than immediate support.If you would like more information on the market around salary benchmarking, skill shortages, or project information, please let us know and we would be happy to provide further insights over a coffee/virtual coffee over the coming month.Please call Suzi Johnson on (08) 6467 0607 or any of the Titan team.​​

Spotlight on the Rail Industry | Salaries are Increasing!2021 is already full steam ahead.  Off to a great start, the engineering houses, EPCM's, and contractors are busy across Perth.  The Rail industry leaped into gear in January announcing the shortlisting of Midland Station, the Inner Armadale level crossing removals, and Byford rail extension. Add that to the plethora of projects underway; Forrestfield Airport Link; Yanchep Extension; Thornlie Cockburn link; Mandurah Station Multi-storey; Denny Avenue all in construction and the engineering commencing on Morley – Ellenbrook Line; Swan River Crossing.Things are just as busy on the Freight and Heavy Haul networks with big pushes to close out Solomon-Eliwana line and the Gudai-Darri later this year.  Plus the usual renewals, upgrade, and maintenance work happening on all the mining networks. This year Arc Infrastructure will be busy with Kenwick intermodal; Track upgrades on Esperance and Kalgoorlie lines and the continued ongoing works on their level crossings.All of this work has catapulted us into a shortage of the technical skills that we require to deliver these projects.  Expertise within track, underground tunneling, bridge design, OLE ....the list goes on.  Travel restrictions due to COVID further intensifies the pressures on a market that is already tight.  This shortage is pushing the salaries and relocation further north.  The candidates are now experiencing multiple offers, quicker turn arounds, greater selection, and outlandish counter-offers.The top considerations that we have seen trending in candidates looking for a move are (in no particular order);The priority of a client-side role or an EPCM model before considering contractors/consultanciesFlexible working arrangements, such as the ability to work from homePreference to be involved in the major projectsCompany reputationPersonal developmentPromotionPotential to increase working hours and in turn $ in their pocket SalaryAccording to Engineers Australia’s 20/21 remuneration report salaries have increased by 2.5% in the last year within the Rail Industry sector and by 1.8% within Engineering as a whole. The average Rail engineer salary currently sat at just shy of $147,000 package. This is broken down into:Level 1 (Entry level) $78,000 packageLevel 2 (2+ years) $104,000 packageLevel 3 (Mid Level) $138,000 packageLevel 4 (Senior) $170,000 packageLevel 5 (Principal) $214,000 packageTo put this into perspective, Rail Industry salaries are 38% inflated than the standard within a similar discipline.If you would like to know more in regards to specific job titles or market information in regards to project awards please contact the team for more information.For more information specifically around the Rail industry, please reach out to our Rail expert, Lianne Adlington, Senior Recruiter Consultant for Rail, on 08 6467 0603.  For an overall view of projects within Infrastructure and Buildings, you can reach out to Suzi Johnson, Manager of Infrastructure and Buildings, on 08 6467 0607.

All eyes on Intelligent Transport SystemsAustralia’s freight system is one of the nation’s foundations for economic success, stability, and international competitiveness.  Its importance is so significant that last year, the Australian government released a report which drove the development of a National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy.Part of the priorities addressed to improve Australia’s freight system efficiency and productivity is infrastructure which spans logistics networks, linkages, support corridor preservation and technology improvements.Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) is one of the advancements that can drive efficiencies across the supply chain industries.Managing Director of Titan Recruitment, Craig Van Heurck said, “Right now, all eyes are on Intelligent Transport Systems which are already being applied to automated vehicles (AVs) operating in urban environments” he said.“The public has a fascination with this technology and how we will travel in the future.  AVs are currently being trialled in several states, for instance, RAC Intellibus is being tested in Western Australia, and Queensland’s The CAVI Project  will be operating Australia’s largest on-road test trial of cooperative vehicles and transport infrastructure.”The most basic benefits of ITS is safety, reliability, increased productivity, energy efficiencies and lowered environmental impact. Benefits of ITS being applied to Australia’s freight and supply chain operations will value add to the current automation systems. Effective Vehicle Tracking and Traffic Management Systems are already having a big impact on supply chain efficiencies, especially through urban congestion. Currently, in its innovation stage, sensor and signalling technology can manipulate traffic conditions, rather than changing expensive traffic infrastructure.With the advantage of smoother predictable traffic flow, ITS minimises congestion allowing for quicker and safer commutes. Traffic congestion causes flow-on delays in supply chains and increases the cost of operations. With the benefits of these systems making their way into industrial environments, ITS has the potential to not only speed up industrial processes in the near future but also reduce incidents and costs related to human error.Real-time information allows for immediate path planning, which can help avoid obstructions, while vehicular communication systems allow vehicles to communicate with each other to avoid collisions. Human error is cited as causes for at least 90% of accidents.  The introduction of ITS can save lives and has an economic benefit of approximately $171M per annum in Australia alone.While the reality of ITS totally engineering freight and supply chain operations is some time away, the infrastructure planning and the development of communications technologies is happening around the country every day right now. Van Heurck said, “There truly are exciting opportunities for engineers to work on some innovative projects where you will help delivery projects that positively impact the whole community.”Employers are already hiring ITS Engineers, Automation Engineers, Control System Engineers, Data Logging Engineers, Instrumentation Engineers, Project Engineers, Software Engineers, Systems Engineers, and Electrical EngineersIf the idea of contributing to a futuristic, emerging industry excites you, get in touch with our team to find out more on career opportunities for you!