Celebrating the Success of the Master Builders Family

Welcome to 2024. The past year has brought about a lot of change for Master Builders ACT, as you will find out in the following pages.

This edition introduces the new faces in our team, including MBA Group Training’s new Training Director, Cara Schultz. Cara is filling the position left by Jo Whitfield, who we are proud to say is now CEO of the Training Fund Authority.

Congratulations, Jo.

This edition also features an introduction to the new training team that will be supporting Cara. The team consists of experienced professionals that know Master Builders ACT and understand our strengths and opportunities for growth.

Flicking forward a few pages, you will be reacquainted with the Master Builders ACT Executive Committee, including myself, because we have had some departures and additions in the past six months. All the committee members are volunteers that hold exceptional experience and great passion for building and construction.

Looking at the industry’s up and comers, this edition showcases the winners of the 2023 Master Builders Apprentice Awards, including the 2023 Apprentice of the Year, Jack McCallion.

On page 19 you will be introduced to our newest Life Member, Simon Butt. Despite there having been 99 years since our establishment, there are only 12 Master Builders ACT Life Members. We are excited that our members have awarded Simon the highest honour available to Master Builders ACT members and acknowledge his many contributions to the industry.

Other great contributors to the industry who were recently honoured include Jo Farrell and Peter Henden. We learn about Jo’s journey to being awarded ACT Australian of the Year on page 23. Peter’s accomplishments as the first ever John Haskins AM Memorial Award winner are detailed on page 27. Our heartfelt congratulations to both winners on earning these prestigious awards.

Looking at the industry’s up and comers, this edition showcases the winners of the 2023 Master Builders Apprentice Awards, including the 2023 Apprentice of the Year, Jack McCallion. You can read about the packed celebration on page 41.

With a fantastic team supporting us, we are looking forward to a productive 2024 with a full calendar of events, advocacy for an election and all the usual day-to-day activities that keep us very busy.

Maintaining and Growing a Skilled Workforce

The Federal Government recently announced a strategic review into the Australian apprenticeships incentives system. This is timely, considering the ACT industry’s need for 7,000 more construction workers by November 2026. According to Master Builders Australia forecasts, there were 13,728 people employed in ACT construction at September 2023, accounting for 5.4% of ACT jobs. To reach the housing targets required by our population, it is crucial that these numbers are grown in a manner that ensures skilled and knowledgeable workers are sustaining the workforce.

As you will read about in this edition, training has massive positive impacts on the industry. It enhances safety, pushes innovation and increases opportunities for workers and businesses, especially at times when we cannot undertake regular work. However, it is no easy task. There is often reporting about poor apprentice completion rates. We are proud to say that MBA Group Training defies this trend. Our model of apprentice training includes additional apprentice support provided by our trainers, employers, members and OzHelp. This has lead our training-industry leading completion rates of over 90%.

With Federal and ACT reviews underway, our aim is that all levels of Government provide a high level of quality support. The longevity of our industry depends on the skills and knowledge of the workforce that constructs our city and we require support to achieve this.

To that end, Master Builders also manages the Master Builders Skills Centre Building Fund. The fund was established for the benefit of non-profit organisations for the acquisition, construction or maintenance of buildings for building and construction training. To support building and construction training by making a tax deductible contribution to the Master Builders Skill Centre Building Fund, please contact Master Builders ACT via email at canberra@mba.org.au or via phone on (02) 6175 5900. It is important that we work together to keep up with rising national and international standards and reach new heights in our industry.

MEET OUR NEW TRAINING DIRECTOR:

Cara Schultz

Master Builders ACT is excited to welcome Cara Schultz as our new Training Director. Cara has made the move from regional NSW to Canberra and, though change can be daunting, she is looking forward to embracing the new experiences that Canberra has to offer.

Cara started working in training in 1997, quickly realising her passion for sharing knowledge and helping others to grow professionally. The opportunity to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives by inspiring them to learn new skills and knowledge drew Cara to training. She said, ‘I love seeing individuals progress and succeed in their chosen industry’.

Cara comes with a wealth of knowledge from her time leading Boral’s national registered training organisation (RTO), as well as a Bachelor of Vocational Education and Training (VET), and a Master of Business Administration. She has developed and delivered numerous literacy and numeracy programs to building and construction classes with several NSW-based RTOs. Cara’s appreciation for building and construction runs in the family, with one of her sons working as a roofer and the other as a concreter.

One of Cara’s proudest achievements within the VET sector was being chosen to represent the sector on the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) Stakeholder Liaison Group Committee. ASQA is the national regulator for VET that ensures quality education and training. As an ASQA Stakeholder Liaison Group member, Cara has consulted on changes to ASQA’s Regulatory Strategy, identified guidance and support materials for RTOs to meet their regulatory obligations and built capability for self-assurance, contributing to the design of new regulatory tools. She is adept at identifying needs and strategising then implementing solutions.

Outside work, Cara has always enjoyed waterskiing and riding motorbikes off road. Both hobbies require patience, resilience and perseverance. They ensure extreme focus, problem-solving techniques and the ability to bounce back from setbacks. All of which have been very useful attributes for her roles in the VET sector. The Master Builders ACT team is ecstatic to have Cara on board and is looking forward to working with her to maintain our high-quality services while seizing new opportunities.

INTRODUCING MASTER BUILDERS ACT’S New Training Team

CHARLIE WAITES

Head of Training Delivery

Charlie manages Master Builders ACT’s training delivery operations to ensure they comply with the Australian Government’s Standards for RTOs.

Charlie’s knack for education shines through in his love for being involved in the development of his grandchildren in his spare time, a pass-time that puts everything into perspective.

Charlie has been engaged in vocational educational training for more than 35 years. In that time, he has found that his greatest enjoyment is seeing the achievement and satisfaction of students as they gain their qualifications.

BRODIE RIDLEY

High Risk Training Manager

Brodie manages the high-risk training and delivers and assesses high-risk courses. His past work as a scaffolder and rigger helps him understand his student’s needs when teaching the intermediate and advanced scaffolding and rigging courses.

As a football player, he learned to connect through great teamwork and communicate well to achieve goals. His knack for people lends itself well to his role and he most enjoys supporting the trainers and connecting with the students to help them grow and learn.

MALCOLM BEER

Carpentry Training Manager

Mal oversees and manages the carpentry program. His specialist experience in renovations and extensions helped him develop adept problem-solving skills and playing high-level hockey shaped his team-oriented leadership style.

Mal thrives on the variety his role brings – from speaking at schools to training apprentices on how to build stairs – he truly enjoys the range of his position, as well as working with a team of trainers with a similar working background.

NEIL WHITE

Facilities Manager

Since 2021, Neil has been the powerhouse behind Master Builders ACT. Neil maintains the building and plant, orders materials for the apprentice’s classes and sees to the various day-to-day issues.

Neil enjoys seeing the apprentices grow, from first year to third year, and change from knowing nothing to almost knowing everything (depending on who you ask).

Having worked as a carpenter for the last 37 years, Neil is skilled and organised. To wind down after his busy days, he likes to relax at the dam with his jet ski.