CCF acts on industry skills shortages

The major challenge facing the Civil Contractors Federation in the coming years is the attraction and retention of skilled workers to ensure that Australia's civil infrastructure projects can proceed and be completed, according the newly elected national president of the CCF.

National CCF president Phillip Marsh, said that in the current civil infrastructure climate, the industry found itself in an economic environment not seen in its recent history.

“Industries are competing for a diminishing pool of skilled employees and that has focussed the CCF on a strategy to attract, recruit, retain and develop workforce skills. We need to resolve this and we have already taken steps to address the situation, but there is much more work to be done,” Perth-based Marsh said.

Work started in July 2007 when the CCF, in partnership with the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), began a national civil skills project to address a range of workforce development issues facing the industry.

The CCF has appointed a project officer, based in the Queensland CCF branch, to initially develop a survey to explore training barriers. The survey includes the reasons behind the traditionally low levels of apprentice and trainee recruitment.

This project is part of the Australian Government's National Skills Shortages Strategy and forms part of the CCF's response to the range of critical workforce development issues.

The objective of the two-year project is to increase the take-up of apprenticeships and traineeships, and promote careers within the civil construction industry. The initiatives will be rolled out over the next two years and will provide the basis for future activities.

Marsh said, “This is a new approach to secure the workers of tomorrow – a workforce development-based approach. The federation believes that such an approach will recognise that industry needs to work in partnership with government, community and educational institutions if it is to get desired outcomes.”

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