text: Hope for hospital project to kickstart new era of Sunshine Coast jobs - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
  Hope for hospital project to kickstart new era of Sunshine Coast jobs
  Posted June 12, 2014 11:56:15
  The Sunshine Coast Mayor says the new public hospital project could be the start of a new era where locals do not need to leave the coast to find work.
  The $1.8 billion university hospital is due for completion in 2016 and 348 jobs are about to be advertised as two major tenders are let in the next three months.
  An on-site employment office has been set up and Mayor Mark Jamieson hopes it keeps locals on the coast.
  "Those jobs can be for apprentices, for people looking to be re-skilled or for qualified tradespeople," he said.
  "My hope is that this leads on to other major projects such as the expansion of the Sunshine Plaza, the development of the new CBD and the expansion of our airport, so young people learning skills here will be able to carry those forward for the economic benefit of the coast long-term.
  "People who want to reside on the Sunshine Coast and want to have an opportunity.
  "For too long our economy has been based on consumption and council in concert with the key industry and business groups around the Sunshine Coast are trying to develop an economy that's based on demand and that means jobs.
  "It means people can afford to buy and pay off their houses and give their kids a good education and enjoy the wonderful lifestyle we've got."
  Scaffolder Dave Bevan has spent the past five years working away from his young family.
  A month ago he started work at the new hospital and says it is great to get the chance to stay home.
  He hopes there is enough local work in future to allow him to stay on the coast.
  "I've always been in construction ever since I was 17 and I'll stay in construction and I hope that the Sunshine Coast gets a lot more projects where I can move from here straight into another project, that'd be great," he said.
  "It's not that difficult to get into construction. To get the higher paying jobs and the jobs where it's worth staying home for that is difficult but it's a lot easier to go away and find work for the amount of money that you would like to earn but local jobs and getting paid well it's quite hard yes."