The building sector needs half a million new entrants by 2026, according to recently released figures, and one Caloundra training precinct is playing a leading role to up-skill workers.
The Sunshine Coast Technical Trade Training Centre is delivering vocational education to a host of people for the industry.
Students there completed a total of 11,500 hours of structured workplace learning in 2020, with the highest graduate apprenticeship and employment rate the centre has seen to date.
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace, who started his career as a carpenter and joiner, called on young people to consider vocational training as an alternative pathway into the workforce or further education.
“Vocational training isn’t just about skilling construction workers. This kind of industry-led training equips youth workers, carers and our emerging cybersecurity workforce for jobs of the future,” he said.
“And I might be a little biased, but I think the Sunshine Coast Technical Trade Training Centre is light years ahead in this space, and they have a long list of achievements to prove it.”
In 2020 and 2022, the centre was a finalist for the Australian Training Awards School Pathways to VET Award, and on five occasions the centre was named Construction School of the Year by Construction Skills Queensland.
They were also the winners of the Fisher Education Provider of the Year Award in both 2020 and 2021 as part of the annual Fisher Community Awards.
The centre in Caloundra offers programs across a wide range of subjects – from drone aviation to building and construction, as well as a number of areas in technical trades and the services sector.
“These are programs from which students can directly matriculate into further education, higher education and employment,” Mr Wallace said.
Shadow Minister for Industry, Skills and Training and Shadow Minister for Women Sussan Ley said vocational and education and training centres would be crucial in meeting the demands of the industry, after Masters Builders Australia released figures that predicted the sector needs 500,000 entrants within the next three years.
“Industry-led training organisations do the lion’s share of skills training,” she said.
“We’re in a skills shortage crisis so it’s imperative that we back vocational training leaders like the Sunshine Coast Technical Trade Centre to ensure we have a strong economy and the required workforce for a fast-paced, dynamic and predominantly digital future.
“I also strongly support the call from the MBA for national leadership to help attract more women to the sector.”
