“Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.”
Chris Grosser, luxury imports and real estate marketer
Western Sydney is on the cusp of once-a-generation transformation.
We can thank Western Sydney International Airport, Australia’s first greenfield airport in 70 years, for precipitating change and opportunity.
But Australia’s first indoor snow resort is also set to lead the charge, cementing the region’s place as a new global tourism destination.
So unique, Winter Sports World will shine an international light into Western Sydney.
Winter Sports World represents more than the showstopping icicle-inspired exterior design, the thrilling ski runs, ice crevasses and zip lines in the snow play area though.
Our $700 million giant snow box will be a catalyst for positive impact on the lives of thousands of Western Sydney residents in the form of tangible career pathways.
Half of those 2,720 jobs will be created during construction, which is on track to begin in 2025 becoming one of the largest employers in the region.
The rest will be generated when Winter Sports World opens in 2028, attracting over 1.3 million visitors a year to become a top Sydney tourist attraction.
Youth employment challenge
According to Western Sydney University research, in August 2023 Western Sydney’s youth unemployment rate was 7.5 per cent – nearly double the overall regional unemployment rate of 3.8 per cent.
One of the reasons for the high rate in youth unemployment was found to be lack of opportunity.
The jobless rate was more than 20 per cent in some suburbs uncomfortably close to the Winter Sports World site.
I say uncomfortable because most of those young people just need a chance.
Our year-round alpine resort with its secure and skilled hospitality, snow and sporting, and engineering and construction jobs, will give them that chance.
To be built in Penrith within Australia’s fastest growing population, Winter Sports World will be a career incubator for local communities.
Even before they join our payroll, Western Sydney young people will get a taste of what careers are on offer through our tailored school excursion programs, with hands-on learning and accredited work-integrated experiences that connect classrooms directly to industry.
From snow physics in science classes to hospitality management in business studies, students will engage with curriculum-aligned modules, gaining tangible insights into workplace operations.
These immersive experiences will be complemented by accredited Vocational Education and Training (VET), Enriched VET (EVET) and School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBAT), ensuring that upon graduation, young people have nationally recognised competencies and valuable on-the-job experience.
Tourism and hospitality
In 2024, the global tourism and hospitality industry employed one in 10 workers worldwide, with more than 330 million professionals engaged in diverse roles – from event planning to accommodation management.
According to EHL Insights, a new hospitality position becomes available every 2.5 seconds.
By 2034, it’s predicted the sector will employ 12.2 per cent of the global workforce (449 million people).
Winter Sports World will open the doors of opportunity locally with hundreds of new jobs in guest services, hotel operations, food and beverage and event management.
Students and trainees will be mentored by seasoned professionals who are part of our snow operations, hotel, food and beverage and other activity partner teams, preparing them for careers in a sector projected to grow by 23 per cent over the next decade.
Snow sports and recreation
Sure, aspiring athletes and sports enthusiasts are looking forward to our 300m advanced ski run, lesson areas and competition venues for alpine skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey and ice climbing.
But Winter Sports World represents more than just fun and games.
It’s also about meaningful employment and long-term career pathways.
Collaborations with sporting bodies and coaches will facilitate pathways into roles on and away from the snow such as ski instruction, snow-play operations and sports coaching.
This structure mirrors successful centres around the world, including Ski Dubai in the Mall of Emirates, where indoor facilities act as feeder sites for outdoor resorts by:
- Introducing new demographics to snow sports
- Building skills and confidence
- Providing year-round access
- Creating a cultural bridge to winter tourism
Engineering, sustainability and green infrastructure
Winter Sports World will be a showstopping design. CGI render
Building and operating an indoor snow resort demands expertise across mechanical, electrical and civil engineering disciplines.
We’ve never had an indoor snow resort in Australia to the scale and complexity of Winter Sports World, so we have sourced many experts internationally.
However, there will be plenty of opportunities for young local talent to emerge through apprenticeships and graduate positions in snow operations, environmental science, energy systems engineering and green construction practices.
These initiatives align with Australia’s national net-zero goals and present a platform for engineers to innovate in large-scale, climate-resilient infrastructure.
With projected annual visitation of over 1.3 million a year, Winter Sports World is expected to inject $2.5 billion into the local economic growth over the next decade, creating more than 2700 direct and indirect jobs.
Beyond employment, the resort will serve as a catalyst for professional networks, industry partnerships, and educational collaborations, reinforcing Western Sydney’s identity as an adventure capital and innovation hub.