$2m NQ training plan for tradies

NORTH Queensland construction workers are being urged to tap into $2m of funded training as the industry comes under intense pressure from a building boom.

Construction Skills Queensland has released its $49m 2021-22 Training Plan to boost the state’s workforce capacity.

This is up from a $42m training plan last year.

CSQ CEO Brett Schimming said North Queensland construction would be under intense pressure over the next 12 months with a surge in house building demand competing with strong commercial and infrastructure activity.

“North Queensland’s house building sector has been thrown into overdrive due to Homebuilder and other government incentives,” Mr Schimming said.

“North Queensland housing approvals have doubled in the last 12 months.

“At the same time, the commercial and infrastructure sectors are thriving and needing a steady supply of skilled workers to keep their projects moving on schedule.”

Mr Schimming said CSQ estimated North Queensland would have $2.6bn worth of construction under way over next 12 months.

“We are going to need a trade army to get through this volume of work. CSQ is putting the call out to trade and site workers, and subcontractors, to add to your skill set, get new work tickets and take advantage of this opportunity,” Mr Schimming said.

Mr Schimming said CSQ had already recorded an increase in demand for training with 843 apprentices currently employed in North Queensland – an 18 per cent increase on last year.

He said CSQ funding covered most and often all the costs of eligible training for workers and businesses in the construction industry.

Clayton Cook, managing director of TP Human Capital, said $2m in funded training did not sound like a lot but that any investment was positive.

“There have been 4000 new jobs created in the past 12 months in Townsville,” Mr Cook said.

The leading job category is trades and services and construction. Of the 1988 jobs being advertised on Seek for the northern region on Tuesday, 407 are in trades and services or construction.

According to CSQ, the top growing construction jobs in Northern Queensland from pre-covid to May are:

• Cabinetmakers up 340 per cent to 215.

• Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics up 220 per cent to 373.

• Telecommunications Trades Workers up 153 per cent to 115.

• Earthmoving Plant Operators up 151 per cent to 650.