The challenge

A major Australian construction business, specialising in remote locations, was contracted to redevelop the RAAF Tindal Airfield Works and Associated Infrastructure in the Northern Territory. But winning the project was only the start.

The real problem? They had no established presence in the region, nor a history of working there. Beyond that, they also had to build a remote campsite from scratch and then staff it. But when you’re not experts on regional work and are facing tough competition from larger mining companies with generous remote site packages, it’s not an easy feat.

Unless you partner with someone who backs you up from day one.

The solution

To get the ball rolling, we crafted a recruitment strategy that was rooted in local engagement and regional insight.

That started with community consultation, helping build awareness of the project and its long-term opportunities in the region. A close collaboration with First Nations helped cement this further – making local connections stronger and ensuring that the approach remained inclusive yet relevant.

From there, we began activating a broad grassroots attraction strategy. That included sponsoring local community events, letterbox drops, information nights and local advertising to raise visibility and generate interest. Engaging with TAFEs, universities and local employment agencies was the final piece of the puzzle – helping us tap into existing talent channels, often through low or no-fee partnerships that secured maximum reach.

Results

The approach helped establish a genuine presence in the region and gave the project a far stronger footing in a competitive talent market.

The business was able to successfully staff the project for start-up, creating the workforce needed to get operations underway. And with hiring continuing beyond mobilisation, the recruitment strategy laid the groundwork for ongoing hiring as the project moved forward.