CTF builds better skills

Subsidies for upskilling sends WA trades to the top of the class.

The Construction Training Fund (CTF) is spreading the word about upskilling to ensure Western Australian construction workers are top of the class.

CTF Director, Communications & Operations Eamon Moore says there are many opportunities for WA’s construction workforce to access short training courses across construction, industry, safety and software skill areas.

“We want people to know more about the subsidies we offer,” Mr Moore says, “because everyone wants skilled workers.”

The CTF Supplementary Skills program gives Western Australians working in construction an opportunity to upskill in areas they might not have thought about, with subsidies of up to 80% of the cost of the course. The amount of the subsidy available depends on the course and if it is delivered in metropolitan or regional WA.

There is no limit on the number of times you can claim the CTF Supplementary Skills rebates. But to qualify for the subsidy, you have to prove you are working or have recently worked in the industry, successfully completed and paid for your training course. And the course must be delivered by qualified trainers through a registered training organisation (RTO).

CTF subsidises short training courses across the following areas ■ Construction Skills – courses designed to develop, maintain or enhance skills relevant to the building and construction industry; ■ Industry Skills – courses that meet the broader training needs of the industry in areas such as communication, tenders, small business management and supervisory skills;

THE TEAM

Phone: (08) 9244 0100 www.ctf.wa.gov.au ■ Occupational Health & Safety – courses that meet the needs of the construction industry to ensure safe working practice; ■ Software Skills – designed to assist industry to develop foundation skills in areas such as Excel, MYOB, MS Project, etc; and ■ Occupational licensing

CTF records show that the most popular short courses subsidised in recent months are Height Safety/Working at Heights; First Aid; Confined Spaces, Traffic Management; Tilt Up Construction; Dogging; Elevated Work Platform; Excavator Operations; Telescopic Materials Handler and Forklift.

To find a registered training provider in your area, you can use a search function at training.gov.au

CTF also provides a subsidy of up to $400 for candidates who successfully complete a Recognition of Prior Learning/Skills Recognition (RPL) assessment towards obtaining a recognised building and construction trade qualification.

CTF collects a training levy on every WA building project valued at more than $20,000. The training levy is 0.2 percent of the value of the project and revenue is used to help reduce the costs of trainees, apprentices and short courses to improve training outcomes and upskilling of the building and construction industry workforce.

As well, as part of its role in educating Western Australians about the wide variety of careers on offer within the industry, the CTF operates the Construction Futures Centre, a hands-on interactive space for school students and adults to have an opportunity to explore job options across residential, commercial and civil construction.

The centre uses a range of hands-on displays, virtual-reality and arcade-style games to educate visitors about the industry, from how loads are shifted on commercial building sites, how road interchanges are delivered to what it’s like to be working in a tunnel. It opens a window into future work possibilities.

To learn more about CTF and the details about the training levy, eligibility and our support for industry training, you can read or download the Levy and Disbursement Guidelines document, available from our website at www.ctf.wa.gov.au