MEDIA RELEASE
7 August 2026
The building and construction industry wants to turn the Macquarie Point stadium site into Tasmania’s biggest classroom, giving every Tasmanian student in Years 9 to 12 the chance to experience the State’s biggest building project firsthand.
The High Vis Army Learning Hub proposal is a collaboration between CCF Tasmania, Master Builders Tasmania, HIA, Master Plumbers Tasmania, NECA and Keystone Tasmania and was presented to the State Government today.
The stadium will need more than 600 workers over the course of the build, with a peak on-site workforce of around 450 and through this unprecedented collaboration, industry is playing its part to make sure as many Tasmanians as possible benefit from this iconic project.
The Hub will be located on site and fitted out with tools and training equipment. Students would take a tour of the site, gain credentials for their Construction Skills Passport as well as invaluable work experience and then be able to access an apprenticeship pathway.
“The Hub will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to tackle the industry’s skills shortage. Through initiatives like the Hub we will be able to leverage this opportunity to provide real long-term benefits for the entire State,” CCF Tasmania CEO Andrew Winch said.
“The stadium is the most visible construction project Tasmania will see in a generation, and it is the perfect way to turbo-charge a generation of tradies who can then go on to build the houses, roads, bridges and other infrastructure Tasmania needs.
“We’re hoping that at the Hub the students themselves will make some of the pavers needed, so Tasmanian kids can walk onsite for the rest of their lives and stand on something they helped build. That is the sort of thing that stays with a young person, and it is the sort of thing that brings them back to the industry.”
Master Builders Tasmania CEO Jenna Cairney said the industry needs to grow its workforce.
“Every Tasmanian student in Years 9 to 12 should have the chance to see what a project of this scale looks like and leave with a credential in their hand.
“The Hub is a shared resource for the whole industry, covering civil, building, plumbing and electrical. It is designed to complement the school programs already running rather than duplicate them, and because it is demountable it can move to the next major project when the stadium is finished. The legacy outlives the build.
“We will now work through the detail with the Government, but our intent is clear. We want to help turn this build into a learning opportunity that lasts long after the stadium is finished.”
Minister Felix Ellis welcomed the proposal from the High Vis Army partners.
“The Macquarie Point multipurpose stadium is one of the biggest and most significant infrastructure investments ever undertaken in Tasmania,” Minister Ellis said.
“The best legacy from any major project is not just what we build, but who we inspire to build next.
“I want to commend the High Vis Army Partners for this collaborative approach to delivering the next generation of skilled tradies. The Government looks forward to working with industry partners on this proposal.”
The High Vis Army partners will continue working through the proposal with the Government, with the aim of having the Hub operating as soon as possible.
