Solutions for Staffing Forum

1. Solutions for Staffing Forum Residential Building Trades: An HIA view

2. Historical Dilemma • Aging Workforce • Qld. is short of 2500 tradespeople across all residential building trade groups (Based on ABS Labor Force figs.) • Generally apprenticeships have not been as readily available to young people since the late 1980s when statutory Authorities began the process of ‘contracting-out’ maintenance and construction services to the private sector.

3. Severe downturn in building and construction activity in late 1980s and early 1990s. • Baby Boomer Parents steering their children away from trade work in favour of university based careers. • A general slow-down in our national migration intake of tradespeople during the 1990s. • A general failure by our industry to attract more women into the trades.

4. A recent resources Boom in North Queensland and Western Australia has placed stress on a residential building industry that is already hard pressed to retain its labour force As a result there is a severe shortage of tradespeople in the residential building industry and Townsville and Thuringowa are building 500 dwellings short of what is currently needed.

5. Solutions • As there has been a general concern at the falling numbers of young people entering the industry, HIA decided to strengthen the ties between schools and industry to change existing perceptions and offer information and assistance to those wanting ‘real’ careers. • HIA took steps to establish the YOUTHBUILD Foundation to address this serious, emerging issue.

6. YouthBuild • Under YOUTHBUILD, young people learn about building while they are at school. They gain experience – building walls, making doors and roof trusses, laying pavers – all under the guidance of skilled tradespeople. • A range of trades is offered so they can make informed decisions about their future before they leave school. It is also important that students, parents and teachers recognise a trade as a career of first choice.

7. OBJECTIVES of YOUTHBUILD • YOUTHBUILD is committed to increasing the number of talented people in the industry by: • Preparing students to embark on a career in the housing sector by integrating the workplace with schools; • Creating a seamless transition from school to work; • Increasing the number of students undertaking training including apprenticeships, traineeships and cadetships;

8. Enhancing local programs and projects focusing on skill formation and promoting youth job creation; • Lobbying for new sources of funding to provide industry skills for school students. • Promoting opportunities for young people in the housing industry • Enlisting support of industry.

9. Improving the preparedness of employers to offer quality work placements to students. • Promoting the importance of safety in the workplace by ensuring employers and hosts are aware of their obligations to provide an appropriately supervised and safe working environment. Promoting the importance of safety by ensuring students complete safety induction training and at all times comply with safety procedures and plans.

10. Step Out Programs • Eg ABBTF Brick and Blocklaying – 5 days within the school – building a BBQ or seating area • Results Eg Marsden High School 85% of students have been placed in apprenticeships, another 10% are otherwise employed - a good result given that many students are from families with third generation unemployment

11. Rockhampton Botanical Gardens Curator’s Cottage Programme: Where students from several High Schools renovated an Historical cottage under the guidance of a teacher/builder. Most students went on to other building related school projects or entered building industry trade apprenticeships on graduation.

12. Group Apprenticeship Schemes • HIA is an RTO with approximately 1000 apprentices. • The Association is able to offer host trainers apprentices with induction training, PPE and can take the apprentice off the host during slow periods and place them with other hosts. • Host trainers can save money as HIA is able to offer charge-out rates at low cost through bulk W/Comp insurance arrangements with state government.