$20,000, 80 kids, 5 schools, 3 teachers ......... youthBUILD

The Housing Industry Association is part of a major initiative to ease the skills shortage in the Tasmanian construction industry.

HIA has joined forces with K&D, Gunns, Tas Timber Engineering and the Tasmanian Department of Education to present a program to learn fundamental construction skills.

The new program, which will come under the auspicious of YouthBUILD, will involve 80 students from Cosgrove High School , Rosetta High School , Claremont High School , Bridgewater High School and New Norfolk High School .

The youthBUILD program will hand over $20 000 worth of tools and a purpose built Kings Trailer to the teachers and students.

The tools will ensure up to 16 students at a time have access to a full tradesman kit of tools which will be transported to each of the 5 schools in the builder’s trailer.

Tasmanian Executive Director Stuart Clues said the aging of the construction workforce in the state and the high drop out rate from apprenticeships was a significant concern to HIA.

“There are very real fears that unless something is done the construction industry will not be able to meet future demands for housing, which will have dire social and economic consequences.”

To meet this challenge HIA has established the YouthBUILD Foundation charged with overseeing and encouraging projects which assist young people in the transition from school to an apprenticeship in one of the building trades.

“We know the re are students who are very interested in our industry but the abrupt change from a school environment to a building site is often too daunting” Mr Clues said.

“We believe it will achieve two key objectives – it will enhance the employability prospects of the students and ultimately provide more sorely-needed tradespeople,” he said.

“This is an excellent example of industry and education providers working toge the r for the benefit of students and the alleviation of skill shortages.”

The $20 000 of tools and trailer will be officially handed over to the students and teachers at the K&D Warehouse in Murray St Hobart at 2pm Friday 23rd March 2007.

For further information contact: Name: Stuart Clues Title: Tasmanian Executive Director Phone: (03) 6230 4600 E-mail: s.clues@hia.com.au

Reprinted with permission. Housing Industry Association. http://hia.com.au