Case Study
Culture & Supports

John Holland

Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 (GCLR3)

Introduction

Since 2019, John Holland has invested more than $45 million in certified social enterprises, with a remarkable $160 million dedicated to Indigenous businesses in 2022 alone. Through partnerships with around 60 social enterprises, John Holland has demonstrated a dedication to supporting growth across the sector. Notably, the company’s collaboration with Moonyah Workforce and Veterans in Construction on the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 (GCLR3) project exemplifies how social enterprises contribute skilled labour, ensure greater diversity on our projects and support social inclusion outcomes.

Opportunity

For John Holland, infrastructure projects offer more than just economic opportunities – they serve as platforms to positively create social impact for communities and foster social inclusion. The $1.2 billion GCLR3 project presented a significant opportunity for John Holland to fulfill its purpose of “transforming lives” and embody its core values of caring, empowerment, and future focused.

Partnerships with Moonyah Workforce and Veterans in Construction demonstrate John Holland’s commitment to creating real change on its projects. Moonyah’s collaboration with Indigenous Elders and Traditional Owners not only provides labour but also deepens the cultural knowledge and understanding of the land’s significance. Meanwhile, the partnership with Veterans in Construction aims to provide meaningful employment for veterans leaving the defence force, who often face barriers to employment, aligning with John Holland’s broader organisational goals and history.

“Veterans are very well suited to hierarchical command structures, like those in the construction and resources sector.”

Dave Farrell – Founder, Veterans in Construction

Solution

In seizing the opportunity presented by the GCLR3 project, John Holland actively sought collaboration with certified social enterprises like Moonyah and Veterans in Construction. Recognising Moonyah’s diversification into traffic management, John Holland initiated discussions to explore procurement opportunities. Andrew McDougall, John Holland’s Senior Social Inclusion Advisor for Infrastructure, reached out to the Fainga’a brothers to explore a potential contract for traffic control services. Moonyah was transparent about their capabilities, working diligently and collaboratively with John Holland’s traffic management, commercial and procurement teams, to ensure expectations and deliverables were well-aligned.

To aide in success for all parties, a strategic decision was made by John Holland to split the traffic management package into day and night works. Moonyah secured the day works contract, leveraging its strengths and capability at the time, which then led to avenues for business growth in the following years.

Similarly, Veterans in Construction secured a strategic partnership on the GCLR3 project. Having demonstrated their capabilities on previous projects, Veterans in Construction have brought their diverse skills and an exceptional work ethic. There is significant alignment between military discipline and the skills required to be exceptional workers in the construction industry.

According to Dave Farrell, founder of Veterans in Construction: “Veterans are very well suited to hierarchical command structures, like those in the construction and resources sector. It’s very similar to the defence force, structurally and organisationally. You’re briefed and trained in particular skills, knowledge and understanding of the critical importance of safety rules as well as knowing your limitations and boundaries. You’re briefed and expected to complete the task and report back results to your supervisor or commanding officer.”

Outcome

The collaboration between John Holland, Moonyah, and Veterans in Construction has created positive outcomes that extend far beyond the provision of traffic management and labour hire services. These partnerships have created sustainable career paths in the construction industry for people facing barriers to employment and helped address persistent skills shortages.

John Holland has played a pivotal role in upskilling individuals, from entry-level positions into roles such as Leading Hands and civil construction apprenticeships, helping to foster long-term career development. The feedback from subcontractors working with veterans on John Holland projects has been overwhelmingly positive.

Moonyah’s workforce has expanded by more than 100 employees, demonstrating John Holland’s commitment to local job creation and economic development. Moreover, these collaborations have fostered diversity and inclusion, enriching the skilled labour pool amid labour shortages in the construction industry.

Aligned with John Holland’s social procurement objectives, these partnerships underscore support for social enterprises and their constructive community impact. They have not only propelled business growth for Moonyah and Veterans in Construction but have also enhanced workforce diversity, establishing a successful collaborative model in a competitive industry.

John Holland’s approach demonstrates how social procurement can drive meaningful change on infrastructure projects. By embracing partnerships with social enterprises like Moonyah and Veterans in Construction, John Holland not only delivers effective project outcomes but also creates a legacy of social value, empowerment and inclusion in the construction industry.