Industry News

Building company owner, registered builder and carpenter Ashleigh Hiemstra, who was last year crowned Tradeswoman of the Year at the HIA Awards, shares her journey into the construction industry and why it was starting a family that gave her the push to go out on her own. Becoming a builder “I made the choice to take [my company] Merge Building further after the birth of my son,” Ashleigh says. “I liked that working for myself meant I had the flexibility […]

24-year-old roof plumber, Sam Carter, began his career in construction as a roof plumber by doing “little jobs” for his dad. Nominated for the Emerging Youth Award at the Heritage Awards, Sam shares his pathway into the construction industry and offers some advice for those looking at starting out in the industry as a heritage roofer. How Sam began working as a heritage roofer “I was desperate to get out of the classroom,” laughs Sam. “I’m more of a hands-on […]

22-year-old carpenter, Rabia Choolun, who won WA’s prestigious pre-apprenticeship of the year award, before going on to take out a gold medal at WorldSkills for carpentry and joinery in 2022, shares her journey into construction and explains why working as a carpenter ticks all her boxes for fulfilment and work-life balance.  Becoming a carpenter It was Rabia’s stepdad, a handyman who spent his spare time during renovations that fired up her interest in carpentry.  “He always told me that a […]

21 year-old Jermaine Pickett, a talented AFL footballer who combines working in traffic control with playing in the WAFL for South Fremantle, talks about how his work in traffic control gives him the support and security to follow his dreams of playing in the AFL.  Jermaine took his first steps towards construction by completing a Certificate II in Engineering through a school-based apprenticeship. While he looked into going on to complete an apprenticeship and getting into the industry that way, […]

WA Premier Hon. Roger Cook has announced an additional 175 places are being added to the Group Training Organisation (GTO) Wage Subsidy Program, with a $21.6 million investment aimed at creating more pathways for Western Australians to pursue building and construction apprenticeships, allowing them to earn as they learn on the job. This expansion, funded through the Construction Training Fund, empowers GTOs to offer even more opportunities for Western Australians to complete apprenticeships or traineeships. With this increase in funding, […]

17 year-old Taya Sawtell, who was a finalist for School-Based Apprentice of the Year at WA’s Training Awards in October, explains why a school-based apprenticeship (SBT) and traineeship  in resources construction appealed to her, how her career in construction has begun and what her working days look like.  Choosing a construction career in the Resources sector  ‘I’m a real hands-on person; I like labour and I hate sitting still,’ Taya explains. ‘I have to be touching or learning something, so […]

A 32 strong team of Aussie apprentices did the Australian construction industry proud at the international WorldSkills competition this year, with the three West Australian construction apprentices each receiving a medallion of excellence. The WorldSkills international championships, which have been running since 1981, give tradies at the beginning of their career the chance to pit their skills against apprentices from other countries and showcase their abilities across vocational, technological and service-oriented careers. What is WorldSkills?  WorldSkills is an international championship […]

‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’. Australians may have grown up hearing this; now the focus has shifted from the physical hazards workers can encounter to the mental ones. And the construction industry is at the helm of the change, with a series of free workshops tackling psychosocial hazards in the construction industry having taken place across the state this August and September by Construction Training Fund. And that was just the beginning.  […]

WA’s construction industry plays a critical role in our thriving resources sector, from building new mines and LNG plants to developing the essential infrastructure that supports them. With such a vast industry, it goes without saying that its construction activity is incredibly varied. But what exactly qualifies as ‘construction’ in the resources sector? How can you know if your project is subject to the CTF levy and if you are eligible for CTF funding? Let’s unpack it.    What is considered […]