New apprentice target for builders

The state government has replaced Labor’s Priority Start apprenticeship scheme with a new program it says will make it easier for building and construction companies to meet training targets.

Under the new policy, contractors undertaking state government projects with a labour value of more than $2 million must have apprentices and trainees comprising 11.5 per cent of the company’s trade workforce.

Launching the new policy today, Training and Workforce Development Minister Liza Harvey said 11.5 per cent was the industry average for training rates for apprentices and trainees.

“This new policy means successful companies will have demonstrated a commitment to training across all their projects, not just the government contract,” she said.

“This will strengthen the training commitment of the construction sector.”

Mrs Harvey said the old Priority Start scheme was project based, had a cumbersome formula, and a high administrative burden.

She added that reporting requirements for head contractors had been changed to strengthen compliance monitoring.

Master Builders Association WA director Michael McLean welcomed the new policy,

“Although many builders and specialist contractors were already training apprentices, there needed to be an across the board commitment from others to share the load,” Mr McLean said.

“A sobering statistic is that we were training 500 more apprentices eight years ago and building 7,000 less homes.

“For some time now, Master Builders has been lobbying the state government to utilise its procurement policy as a lever to improve the training culture on its construction projects.”

He said the new policy was a big improvement on the previous model as it was simple and set a clear target for builders to meet.

“For this policy to succeed it will need a targeted education campaign, early monitoring for improvement, regular compliance checks and future reviews,” Mr McLean said.

“As a major client of construction work in WA, the state government is in a good position to influence the amount and quality of training that is undertaken in the building industry”.

Mr McLean said the MBA would like to see the 11.5 per cent benchmark lifted over time.