The Housing Industry Association (HIA) says National Apprentice Week is the time to highlight the urgent need to expand apprentice training if Australia is to address ongoing housing shortages and meet future housing demand.
“Workforce shortages remain one of the biggest constraints on increasing home building activity, with the nation needing an estimated 83,000 additional skilled workers across our key trades,” HIA Executive Director Future Workforce, Mike Hermon said today.
“Builders across the country are telling us the same thing – demand for housing is there, but access to skilled labour is holding projects back.
“A recent survey of HIA’s small business members indicated that the cost and access to skilled trades were both in the top 5 issues placing pressure on builders. The survey also showed that 67 per cent of respondents said they were having trouble recruiting new staff or retaining existing workers.
“If we do not train more apprentices now, the homes Australia needs simply will not be built.
“Residential construction is a hands-on industry, and apprenticeships provide the practical, on-site training that cannot be replicated in a classroom alone – today’s apprentices are tomorrow’s carpenters, builders and site supervisors.
“HIA welcomes government incentives that are helping employers take on apprentices, including the Priority Hiring Incentive, along with the Key Apprenticeship Program (KAP), to help apprentices purchase tools or meet costs of living challenges while training. These incentives are working and are encouraging more businesses to invest in training.
“However, they must be maintained, simplified and extended if they are to have a lasting impact on housing supply.
“All tiers of government must recognise that housing supply targets cannot be achieved without sustained investment in skills and training. You cannot set ambitious housing targets without backing them with an equally ambitious commitment to apprentice training.
“Every new home starts with an apprentice on site. Supporting apprentices today and National Apprentice Week is essential to increasing housing supply, easing affordability pressures and building Australia’s future workforce,” concluded Mr Hermon.