A major housing construction training program to train hundreds of apprentices has been launched by the State Government, building on the commitment to provide more opportunities for South Australians to develop the skills to build the state’s housing future.

A $4.5 million investment will deliver 225 new construction apprenticeship opportunities through the SA Housing Trust’s Employment Pathways Program.

This program follows the Housing Trust’s Apprentices Pilot Program which commenced in 2022. So far, 190 apprentices have completed their apprenticeship through the pilot program with another 81 still active and ongoing.

These programs are complemented by the Housing Trust’s involvement in school-based training programs such as Doorways 2 Construction, Building Links and with St Patrick’s Technical College.

These programs provide secondary students with a broad introduction to the building and construction industry while gaining a solid foundation of skills and knowledge in a safe and supervised environment.

Students can then move into a range of vocational training courses and career pathways that are recognised, endorsed and in-demand by industry.

Year 11 students from St Patrick’s Technical College are about to finish renovation work on a Housing Trust home in Salisbury North, gaining hands-on trades experience through the program.

On top of the 225 new apprentices supported through the Housing Trust apprentices, a further 25 apprenticeships will be supported through SA Water.

All of the SA Water apprenticeships are earmarked for mature-aged apprentices to increase this cohort’s participation in the program.

The Trust will allocate a $5,000 diversity bonus for more than 100 apprenticeships, supporting opportunities for school-based and mature-aged apprentices, female apprentices, apprentices from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander apprentices and people living with disability.

The Housing Trust is tendering for Group Training Organisations (GTOs), who employ apprentices and place them with host trades to participate in the program.

Building on lessons learned from the first program, where apprentices were selected over a six-month period, apprentice selection will be staggered over two years to give GTOs more time to prepare and support apprentices.

GTOs will be able to access up to $17,500 per apprentice with a requirement to pass up to 75% of the funding onto host employers. The remaining funding will help GTOs with costs associated with recruiting and supporting apprenticeships.

The programs work in conjunction with the Construction Industry and Training Board, Skills SA and Commonwealth incentives that provide outcome-based support for apprentices.

The State Government took to this year’s state election a $29 million Housing Skills package to create 1,000 new pathways for South Australians to enter the construction workforce through scholarships, apprenticeships and industry partnerships.