Articles & Ideas
Training Future Tradespersons
TRADES SHORTAGE – Does your tradesman support apprenticeships?
Did you know that there is a growing shortage of tradespeople? As our population gets older and current tradesmen retire, this growing shortage will increase and force up the cost of building construction, repairs and renovations.
Did you know that all building works in excess of $15,000 contract value carry a levy of 0.25% designed to help train today's youth as apprentices to ensure that future generations have the tradesmen and skilled workers that are needed?
The Construction Industry Training Board was established in 1993 by the SA Government to implement training programmes in the building and construction industry. The CITB's role is to -
- Administer the Training Levy
- Act as a principal adviser to Government
- Prepare training plans for construction industry
- Coordinate and support/purchase training
- Promote increased productivity safety and career opportunities
- Research training needs
The CITB does not employ apprentices directly - it acts as a supervisory body and a distributor of funds to support various CITB approved training schemes and Group Training Organizations - GTO's.
The CITB also offer training incentives to companies and qualified tradespeople who are interested in employing apprentices. Importantly the CITB initiated the D2C(Doorways to Construction) VET program in 1999 starting out as a trial in 2000 and now with 25 Programs state-wide, servicing up to 5 schools each and more than 600 students enrolled with 8 new programs in 2008.
The D2C program delivers job ready students to the industry. Students complete the course with a Cert 1 in General Construction (7 core, 3 electives). They work on real construction jobs completing between 120 - 160 hours in work placement. They achieve an accredited industry OH&S qualification and can be credited for up to 5 SACE units.
It is becoming increasingly difficult finding apprenticeship placements for graduates of the D2C program with insufficient companies and tradespeople who are prepared to take on these apprentices.
Did you know that 93% of companies in the building and construction industry employ less than 5 employees?
There are only a few larger building/construction companies who support and train apprentices. Added to this, is the fact that a large numbers of self employed tradesmen believe training is a cost in time and cash. Due to the amount of work available for tradesmen, and therefore the fees they are able to charge, many work short weeks or take leave for long periods of time therefore making them more unwilling to take on an apprentice.
Apprentices are available on a periodic basis.
There are apprentices registered through Group Training Organizations who can be hired out to tradespeople on a periodic basis making it viable for every tradesperson to support apprentices at some time.
CITB Training Incentives
The CITB offer a range of financial incentives to assist qualified tradespeople and building/construction companies who take on an apprentice, tuition funding to assist the apprentice's costs or those seeking to up skill.
- Up to $13,800 over the course of the Contract of Training
Apprentices are also eligible for assistance
- Tuition funding (up to $1600 over three years) - a part refund of TAFE fees
- Access to Current Worker courses in business / licensing (up to $1,000)
There is also assistance for eligible workers for further training Current Worker courses up to $1,000 pp per course
The Federal government also offers incentives for those employing apprentices. For companies or tradespeople interested in more information on employing apprentices click http://www.citb.org.au/career/employer.asp
We can all help solve the shortage
We all need to support the drive for apprenticeships by making sure the builders/tradesmen that we hire are supporting apprentices.
Build Adelaide is playing an important role in this process by highlighting Companies who either host or employ apprentices so that you, the public, clearly recognise companies training our future trades people
When searching through Build Adelaide's trade listings look for the CITB logo and the GTA (Group Training Association) logo - these logos advise you which companies support training our future generations of tradesmen.
Where you see the CITB logo along with a specific GTO logo, this tells you which Group Training Organization is responsible for the apprentices being trained.
Example:
The following links allow you to read about the specific services and training services offered by the various GTO's plus the overall association the GTA.
Master Builders Group Training Scheme
South East Regional Group Apprenticeship Scheme
Sunraysia Murray Group Training
The Plumbing Industry Association
If you know someone who is interested in becoming an apprentice click the following links for further information www.doorways2construction.org.au
The excitement is building in construction
Apprentices must be registered with the CITB to receive benefits.
At the end of the day if we want to avoid a shortage of properly qualified tradespeople and the additional costs that are associated with this looming shortage, then we need to support those who are training up the next generation of tradespeople.
Ask your builder - "Do you host or employ apprentices?"
Click here to visit the CITB website
26 June 2009
