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Spotlight on the Rail Industry | Salaries are Increasing!

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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/consultancies

  • Flexible working arrangements, such as the ability to work from home

  • Preference to be involved in the major projects

  • Company reputation

  • Personal development

  • Promotion

  • Potential to increase working hours and in turn $ in their pocket 

  • Salary

According 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 package

  • Level 2 (2+ years) $104,000 package

  • Level 3 (Mid Level) $138,000 package

  • Level 4 (Senior) $170,000 package

  • Level 5 (Principal) $214,000 package

To 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.

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