Construction and property leaders applaud $78 million government initiative
Australia’s construction and property sectors have voiced strong support for the federal government’s plan to invest $78 million into a new trades training initiative aimed at accelerating qualifications for experienced but uncredentialled workers.
The Advanced Entry Trades Training program, backed by a re-elected Albanese government, is expected to help up to 6,000 workers — including those already in the industry without formal apprenticeships and skilled migrants without recognised qualifications — gain trade credentials more quickly. The move is part of broader efforts to alleviate the country’s housing shortage.
For Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn (pictured above left), the program was the kind of supply-side measure urgently needed to address the housing crisis.
“It is well known that Australia is in the midst of a housing crisis,” Wawn said. “From social and community housing to rental properties and owner-occupiers, supply remains the greatest constraint.
“We need more skilled, qualified tradies on the ground to build the homes our communities desperately need. Our analysis shows for every new qualified tradie, an extra 2.4 homes can be built. This program fast-tracks that goal by helping experienced workers get the qualifications and recognition they deserve.”
The initiative will support workers through recognition of prior learning and training offered by TAFEs and high-quality Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). According to the Parkinson Review, the current recognition process can take up to 18 months and cost around $10,000 — barriers Wawn believes the program would help dismantle.
“The current system is cumbersome, costly, slow, and in some cases completely unnecessary,” she said. “When seeking to attract more skilled trades into Australia, it’s crucial to also look at the talented individuals already here who are stuck in limbo because of an overly complex system. This funding will help remove those barriers.”
Property Council of Australia chief executive Mike Zorbas (pictured above right) also welcomed the announcement, highlighting the importance of prioritising trades in the residential housing construction market.
“The only way out of this housing crisis is to build more homes, and to do that, we need more carpenters, roofers, plumbers and tilers,” he said. “More workers on-site, across every trade, is a must-have.”
Zorbas added that increasing skilled migration remains critical, noting that only a small fraction of incoming migrants hold construction trade skills.
“Historically, less than two in every 100 migrants coming into this country has had a construction trade – that is simply not enough,” he said. “As we manage down our immigration intake, we need to boost the proportion of skilled migrants with construction trades coming to this country.”
Both industry bodies stressed the urgency of addressing workforce shortages as a means to meet the national target of building 1.2 million new homes.
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