Manufacturing Recruitment Agencies Melbourne — Vetted Shortlist in 7 Days
Production, maintenance and quality candidates for Melbourne plants, screened and referenced, on a shortlist within 7 days with a 90-day guarantee.
Get a quote Call 0477 567 567Manufacturing recruitment in Melbourne is a balancing act. You need operators who can hold a line rate, technicians who can keep it running and supervisors who can lead a shift, often all at once. We recruit for food, packaging, metal, plastics and transport equipment manufacturers across the northern and western suburbs, Dandenong South and the south-east. Every candidate is screened and referenced before you see them, through our national manufacturing recruitment agency.
Trusted by teams across Australia
- RCSA Member
- Fully Insured & Workers-Comp Covered
- Manufacturing & Production
- Engineering & Maintenance
- Food & Beverage Processing
- Logistics & Warehousing
- Trades & Technical
From brief to shortlist
Brief us
Share the role, shift pattern, award level and the tickets it needs.
Search & screen
We test technical experience, sight licences and call referees from previous plants.
Vetted shortlist in 7 days
Candidates who have run similar equipment and can work your roster.
90-day guarantee
Any permanent hire who leaves or underperforms within 90 days is re-placed free.
Why TQN Personnel
Manufacturing hires fail for predictable reasons: the wrong shift fit, an expired ticket, or experience on different equipment from yours. We check each of those before shortlisting. We ask which machines and processes a candidate has actually run, sight high risk work licences, confirm availability for your roster and speak to referees who supervised them. You get a short list that is ready to interview, and if a permanent hire does not last 90 days, we replace them free.
Inside the Melbourne talent market
Melbourne has a population around 5,435,590 and a labour force near 2,581,740.
Health Care and Social Assistance
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Education and Training
Construction
Retail Trade
Financial and Insurance Services
Truganina Employment Precinct
Derrimut Fields Employment Precinct
Campbellfield-Northern Industrial Precinct
Dandenong South-Southern Industrial Precinct
Fisherman's Bend Business Precinct
Arden Precinct
Source: ABS
Manufacturing Roles We Place
- Production and process workers
- Machine operators and setters
- CNC machinists and toolmakers
- Boilermakers, welders and fabricators
- Maintenance fitters and electricians
- Quality assurance and food safety officers
- Production supervisors and team leaders
- Manufacturing and continuous improvement engineers
Credentials & checks we verify for manufacturing
- Trade certificates such as Certificate III in Engineering sighted and confirmed
- WorkSafe Victoria high risk work licences, such as forklift (LF) and order picker (LO), matched to your equipment
- Electrical licences for maintenance electricians, checked with the regulator
- VEVO right-to-work check for every candidate
- Food safety and allergen training records for food and beverage plants
- References from production supervisors or plant managers
Manufacturing hiring demand across Melbourne
Melbourne's manufacturers are concentrated in the industrial precincts listed above, from Campbellfield to Dandenong South, and state transport spending is a visible source of local orders. Award minimums also rose in July 2026, lifting the floor for operators and tradespeople and shifting what experienced candidates expect to be offered.
G Class tram build, Dandenong
Melbourne's next-generation G Class trams are being built at Alstom's Dandenong factory, supporting jobs across manufacturing and the supply chain.
source ↗Suburban Rail Loop East
Orbital rail line now in tunnelling and station construction across Melbourne's east and south-east.
source ↗Recruitment licensing & compliance
Permanent manufacturing recruitment is outside Victorian labour hire licensing, because Labour Hire Authority guidance treats recruitment and placement as falling outside the definition unless accommodation is also provided. Temp and contract production staff are covered: the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018 (Vic) requires providers to be licensed by the Labour Hire Authority and hosts to use only licensed providers. TQN Personnel holds a Victorian labour hire licence, with the number supplied on engagement. From 1 October 2026 the Act's definition focuses on whether labour is being supplied, so intermediaries further down a supply chain need checking too.
FAQs
How long does manufacturing recruitment in Melbourne take?
Plan on a shortlist within 7 days of briefing us. Hard-to-find trades, such as toolmakers or night-shift maintenance electricians, may take longer, and we will be upfront about that when you brief us.
What are the award rates for manufacturing staff in 2026?
Under the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award, adult minimums rose in July 2026: C14 is now $25.74 an hour and C10, the base tradesperson level, is $29.45. Many skilled roles pay above award, so we benchmark your offer first.
Do you recruit for food manufacturing plants?
Yes. We place process workers, line leaders and quality staff for food and beverage plants, and check food safety training and right to work before shortlisting.
Can you supply temporary production workers while you recruit permanently?
Yes. Our labour hire team can cover the line with casual workers employed by TQN Personnel while we run the permanent search, so production does not stall.
Which licence does a forklift operator need in Victoria?
A WorkSafe Victoria high risk work licence in the right class: LF for a standard forklift truck or LO for an order-picking forklift. We sight the card and match the class to the equipment on your floor.