Our Initiatives
to make #CQStrongBUILDING BUSINESS CAPACITY Workshop Series
Exclusive to GEA Members
We’re proud to officially unveil the 2025 calendar for our highly anticipated Building Business Capacity Workshop Series – a professional development program offered exclusively and FREE to GEA members.
The series features 11 dynamic workshops designed to help members strengthen their business capabilities across a range of key areas. From strategic planning and leadership to workforce development, HR, tendering, and capability statements – there’s something to support every business goal.
These workshops provide GEA members with an opportunity to enhance their business skills, gain practical tools and insights, and connect with expert presenters and like-minded professionals.
The series is proudly supported by Shell Australia and delivered in collaboration with:
- Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
- Evolve HR Solutions
- The Guinea Group
- Industry Capability Network Queensland
If you’ve been considering becoming a GEA member, now is the perfect time to join and access this invaluable professional development opportunity.
More details about each workshop will be shared closer to the scheduled dates, so be sure to check back for updates!
Book the next available workshop or other upcoming GEA events HERE
The Gladstone Globe
Engage. Educate. Entertain.
engage
educate
entertain
Unique to Central Queensland, The Gladstone Globe and Digital Interactive Walkway is an immersive experience for the Gladstone Region to engage with.
Located in the heart of Gladstone in The City Arcade at 69 Goondoon Street, The Globe is a large 140-inch touch screen, while the interactive walkway is made up of five individual 55-inch touch screens.
A partnership with the Queensland University of Technology, the walkway features content sourced from QUT’s The Cube, while The Globe houses interactive material on the Gladstone Region’s economy, industries, tourism and GEA members.
Ever evolving, The Globe will grow to meet the needs of our community, and act as a guide to tourists, investors and locals alike by showcasing Gladstone as a region where you can live, work, play and invest.
Monday – Friday
The Gladstone Globe and Digital Interactive Walkway has been funded by GEA, the Federal Government’s Regional Jobs and Investment Packages Program, the Gladstone Regional Council and Shell’s QGC business.
Major Industry and GEA members interested in being included in The Globe can contact info@gea.asn.au.
gladstone
engineeringalliance
Skills Attraction Initiatives
Gladstone Region engaging in action Together (GRT)
Over the last few years skills shortages have impacted cross-sector employers across the region. In response a collective campaign was created to attract skilled employees, showcasing the liveability of the Gladstone Region. The campaign includes resources for candidates considering Gladstone as a place to relocate and a suite of resources to aide local employers in their recruitment efforts.
The Sector Capacity Building initiative continues to bring together local practitioners for shared training experiences, enhancing role succession and staff retention to reduce the impacts of skills shortages, and improving service, for improved outcomes for our local children and families.
Local Initiatives and Resources
Gladstone Region Skills Attraction - Employers Toolkit
The Gladstone Region Skills Attraction Employers Toolkit supports our local community to attract skilled employees to the region to grow our local capacity. The resources offered in this Toolkit have been developed for all Gladstone Region employers.
Glad to be in Gladstone
The ‘Glad to be in Gladstone’ webpage includes information about living in the Gladstone Region and breaks down information into helpful sub-categories. Potential new employees can access information to make the move to the region smoother for the whole family.
Glad You Made It
The one-stop-shop for people considering making the move to the Gladstone Region. On the website you’ll find real stories plus discover important information on education, housing, transport, events and activities, the best places to eat and drink and more -- all in one place.
Boost Your Business
In 2020 GEA is delivering, in partnership with METS Ignited and the Queensland Government, a fully-funded accelerator program for local SMEs and METS scale-ups.
The program, called Boost Your Business, will commence in May, and eight businesses will take part in six virtual business strategy workshops over 12 weeks.
METS Ignited is part of the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Centre Initiative from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.
GEA looks forward to delivering a successful Boost Your Business Program and reporting on outcomes and achievements later in 2020.
Workshop Breakdown
- Business Strategy Session
- Marketing & Branding
- Risk Analysis & Management
- Human Resource Management
- Strategic Growth & Capacity Planning
- Financial Management
- Business Plan & Actions
Online workshop and signing of contract by one of the participants >>
Skilling Queenslanders for Work
Skilling Queenslanders for Work funds training and support for unemployed or underemployed people, with a focus on young people (including those in and transitioned from out-of-home care), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, mature-age jobseekers, women re-entering the workforce, veterans and ex-service personnel, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Participants
Employment Outcomes
Success Rate
Funded Queenslanders
Awarded SQW Programs
Between 2015 and 2019 GEA delivered seven Skilling Queenslanders for Work Programs – building up the capabilities of 204 local trainees and apprentices through Certificate I in Business, Certificate I in Construction and Certificate I in Conservation & Land Management. Out of the 204 participants, 182 trainees and apprentices were successfully employed as a result of the SQW program.
Community Groups we supported:
- Community Solutions Group
- EQIP
- Gladstone Community Linking Agency
- Sundale Age Care
- Gladstone Seafarers Centre
- Roseberry QLD
- Gladstone Women’s Health Centre
- Boyne Tannum Hook-Up
- Gladstone Yacht Club
- Calliope Historical Village
- Gladstone Golf Club
- Gladstone Bowls Club
Next Steps Program
In 2019 GEA delivered a specialised business training and assistance program for SMEs in the Gladstone Region funded by Shell’s QGC business.
The program was delivered to seven supply chain businesses with the aim of improving success rates when tendering for opportunities with the LNG industry.
The intention was to help local suppliers define where the fit in the LNG supply chain, identify specific capabilities gaps in their business and implement customised actions to bridge these gaps.
It also identified where to find opportunities to sub-contract to larger LNG contractors, and position themselves more effectively in the tender process to increase their success rate.
Training and support, including an Advanced Tender Workshop facilitated by BidWrite, were provided over a six-month period in stages, with an evaluation carried at 12 months.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic GEA was in talks with Shell’s QGC business to develop an expanded Next Steps Program in 2020, to include Quality Assurance, Health Safety Security & Environment, and Capability Statement Writing.
These talks have been put on hold for the time being, but GEA looks forward to continuing to work with Shell’s QGC business and presenting a new Next Steps Program in the future.
2019 Next Steps Program participants:
- Aerial Media Gladstone
- Fredriksen Maclean & Assoc.
- Kempe Engineering
- Link Resources
- Pirtek
- Sherriff Electrical
- Techserve
Facilitated Projects
GEA has partnered with different government and private organisations to support businesses and communities in the region.
Industry Advisory Group
An initiative of GEA, the Industry Advisory Group was established in 2019 as a forum to bring together GEA members and representatives from local major industry to connect and bridge the gap on:
Local Content
Procurement
Workforce Development
IAG panel discussion session
Advocacy Memberships & Partnerships
GEA is an active member of:
- Queensland Local Content Leadership Network
- Gladstone Economic Recovery Committee
- Gladstone Region Economic Practitioners Network
- Central Queensland Hydrogen Technology Cluster
- Central Queensland Hydrogen Alliance
Our CEO regularly catches up with:
- Gladstone Industry Leadership Group
- Gladstone Regional Council Mayor Matt Burnett
- Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher
- Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd
Shutdown Calendar
Partnership initiative with GILG and GEA
GEA is proud to partner with Gladstone Industry Leadership Group to deliver the Industry Shutdown Calendar for our members.
GILG is a membership-based organisation representing large industry in the Gladstone Region, and is focused on ensuring the long-term social, environmental and economic sustainability of both industry and Gladstone.
GILG Members include:
Industry Projects
GEA regularly liaises with the appropriate development teams to provide members with updates, if possible, on these up-coming industry projects.
The Industry Project page is a member only area, please make sure you are signed in to your GEA portal before visiting the page.