Trades are sexy again

2 July 2008

TECHNICAL trades are “sexy”.

There are unprecedented numbers of teens and mature age job seekers looking at vocational training over university.

Skills and qualifications now determine access to jobs and income. But research in Queensland found that while 60% of jobs required a VET (vocational education and training) qualification, only 30% of the population currently has one.

It is forecast that within the next 10 years, Queensland will require more than 30,000 skilled workers in civil construction alone.

Construction Skills Queensland chief Rod Camm said the push for skills training was now coming from within the industry to ensure they can grow the work force needed.

“These days it’s a real career, not just a job on a building or road site,” he said. “If you go back a number of years, infrastructure was perceived as heavy labour in the sun but now it’s a broad cross section of careers.

“It’s about reinvigorating the industry’s role with schools and the importance of technical trades.”

Mr Camm, who was integral in launching CSQ in July last year, said retaining skilled staff was “critical because only 55 to 60% of people who start training in the industry actually finished”. He said about 80% of those who dropped out did so in the first two years, so CSQ was developing intensive mentor support programs to deal with early issues.

Mr Camm said CSQ had programs across 50 Queensland schools and specific skilling programs to encourage women, mature age, long-term unemployed, indigenous people and people from non-English speaking backgrounds into the industry.

www.csq.org.au

This article is related to:

Architecture, Building & Construction jobs