THERE'S more than 600 vacancies available across the state for traffic controllers, and Joss Retallack says it's a great job.
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She has been employed at Southwest Traffic Control for three months, after working in hospitality.
"I wanted something different," she said.
"It's much better working outdoors. Even though I'm casual here I get many more hours than hospitality."
Southwest Traffic Control operations manager Anna Moloney said an average wage for someone currently working five days a week and every second weekend was about $1800 a week.
She said 70 per cent of her staff were female.
"It's a great income and construction isn't just for men anymore," she said.
"It's more than just holding a stop/slow bat."
A new course at South West TAFE is aiming to put a stop to the shortage of traffic management controllers.
Feedback from the local industry has helped TAFE to develop the five-day course which is planned for Warrnambool, Portland, Hamilton and Colac.
Ms Moloney welcomed the course.
“This will assist us in hiring skilled traffic controllers, trained not only to a curriculum, but with well thought-out practical skills,” Ms Moloney said.
“Demand for traffic controllers is very high, as government funding into road and infrastructure projects fuels rapid growth across these industries. Where big projects require a large increase in employees quickly, it is often faster to hire from other regions where potential employees have better access to courses.
“We’d much prefer to hire local people, and having them trained at South West TAFE, with a course that we have input to for focus on specific skills sets, will be great."
People working as a traffic controller are required to undertake traffic management training and as most roadwork sites are considered construction sites, they also require a construction induction card
The training includes OH&S, first aid, using a stop/slow sign, setting up traffic management plans and broader entry-level skills to work in the civil construction industry. It is available free to eligible students under the Victorian Government Skills Uplift program to get unemployed people into the workforce.
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