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Report: flexible, responsive training key to meeting skills needs.

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Recommendations such as accelerated competency based training, innovative approaches to training through the use of mobile training units and upskilling the existing workforce in the report of the National Resources Sector Employment Taskforce, have been welcomed by the Civil Contractors Federation.

  

CCF national CEO Chris White said, “The report has taken a broad approach - which is most welcome - supporting our key resource industries.” At the same time it recognises the ripple effect of major projects, that is, civil construction labour tends to be drawn from the same pool. Skills shortages in key occupations are a major concern for CCF members, especially in resource rich states like Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, White said.
“One of the key issues for our members is that training must be responsive to their needs. Civil skills aren’t taught solely in a classroom and indeed we know our members highly rate on the job experience as one of the most important parts of a person being competent to do their job. So proposals which support mobile training units which can go where and when needed and upskilling of the existing workforce are very welcome,” he said.
The partnership approach to training evidenced in the report is strongly supported by CCF. CCF SA recently received $8.2m in Federal Government support for a state of the art Civil Train Civil Skills Centre. With an industry co contribution of $4.2m, SA will be able to triple the number of excavator, loader and other essential plant operators.
“Our Queensland branch is also proposing a $10.95m Centre of Excellence with a co-contribution from industry of half the costs,” White said. Its Civil Infrastructure Mobile Training College would consist of a Centre of Excellence in Brisbane and 3 mobile training units.
He said one of the important parts of the proposal, is the equipping of the 3 MTUs, which will allow training in regional, remote and indigenous communities. A key feature of them will be literacy and numeracy training which is also a key priority of the Government.
 


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