NBN Co announced this morning that it had signed a contract with Visionstream Australia - a subsidiary of Leighton Holdings Limited - to replace copper telephone lines with the high-speed fibre optic broadband network.

The four-year design, construction and maintenance contract is valued at $300 million and is expected to create up to 800 new jobs at the peak of the rollout, as well as a permanent workforce to complete ongoing maintenance of the fibre network, including future upgrades.

The state government will provide funding to support training for Tasmanian job seekers, including workers who are transitioning from other industries.

The training will be offered by training providers in Launceston, Burnie and Hobart.

It is estimated that about half the jobs will require semi-skilled workers, including earthmoving plant operators, labourers and road traffic controllers, NBN Co said.