CPSISC, the National Industry Skills Council responsible for the building, construction and property services industries, acknowledged the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) report released today which outlines current construction shortfalls and points to longer term skill demands. 

The report illustrates a short-term outlook of continuing subdued activity in residential and commercial construction, which could impact on training levels, however the longer term projections are more encouraging suggesting that employment growth for these trades will be strong.

CPSISC Chief Executive Alan Ross said today, “the cross sector construction update does currently report shortages as being evident across plumbing and stonemasonry trades, with regional shortages in need of additional glazier, roof tiler as well as wall and floor tiler skills that would require immediate training solutions.

“This report opens the door for these current and future challenges to be addressed through the Federal Government’s Skills Connect program comprising the new National Workforce Development Fund, which ISCs have been tasked with a key partnership role as a conduit for industry.

“As indicated in DEEWR’s report, plumbing employers suggested many applicants lacked the required levels of experience and trade skills, communication skills and knowledge of regulations and standards. This problem as identified requires CPSISC to facilitate the Skills Connect program to deal with the huge challenges in language, literacy, and numeracy that are reported for this occupation and that challenge the construction and property sectors particularly”, said Mr Ross.

“Future demand provides the need for long term skilling strategies to meet future occupational needs across construction trades and it is worth recognising that while some slower activity is being reported in some of the trades, there arises an opportunity in some of the down time that previously hasn’t been available to upgrade skills that will assist any future uptick in activity. 

“This future growth outlook presented by DEEWR still requires targeted skills action to be taken now through the National Workforce Development Fund.

“Based on the successful EBPPP funding, the National Workforce Development fund is about to address the upskilling needs for construction trades, which makes it easy for workers to look at increasing their trades qualifications, to aid participation and to diversify their skill sets.

The opening up of the Skills Connect funding streams will also be vital to addressing the shortage, mentoring, language, literacy and numeracy challenges across these occupations using the proven government, industry, employer, ISC partnership strategy for targeting skills development”, he said.