Civil Contractors Federation Victoria (CCF Victoria) has launched a new careers pathway program targeting women and First Nations people for careers in civil construction.
The Pathways – Shaping Careers, Reshaping Industry program will aim to deliver 120 new ‘Job Safe, Job Ready’ participants into the civil construction sector over the next two years.
According to CCF Victoria CEO Lisa Kinross, the aim of the new program is to redress the challenges currently deterring women and First Nations people from entering the industry.
“The program is designed to deliver solutions by creating careers, empowering employers, and connecting communities,” she said. “It’s about providing a pathway to shape a career in civil construction, particularly for women and First Nations people who are currently seriously underrepresented in our industry.”
The program will be run by Civil Train, CCF Victoria’s registered training organisation, in conjunction with Group Training and First Nations’ organisational partners including Protech, Dream Path, and Ripple Effect.
Funded by a recent Regional and Specialist Training Fund (RTSF) grant from the Victorian Government, the two-year program – which starts in June 2023 – will take 120 participants on a career journey through employment placement to the completion of an industry apprenticeship.
It will be one of the largest projects ever undertaken in the history of CCF Victoria and the first project dedicated solely to women and First Nations people.
“What we have recognised as an industry which is facing major pressures in terms of trades and expertise, is that we needed to do better in encouraging people – particularly women and First Nations people – to consider a rewarding and ongoing career in our industry,” Kinross said.
“The National Market Infrastructure Market Capacity Survey 2022 indicated that access to skilled and unskilled workers was the highest ranked issue for CCF Victoria members. We believe this new Pathways program will go some way to alleviating the current skills crisis in our industry.”
The participants in the new program will be trained in a range of areas including site induction, cultural preparedness, and life skills. They will then complete the ‘RIII30920 Certificate III in Civil Construction Apprenticeship’ while they are at a work-based placement with a potential employer.
Employers in the program will have access to an Employer Support Program as well as a Coach on Call, to assist with the development of their apprentices and tools that support supervisors and work crews.
Kinross said CCF Victoria believed this multi-pronged approach of engagement and support would help deliver better job ready and employable apprentices.
“And given the connection that the participants and employers may well forge through this process, it also provides the potential for employers to formally engage the apprentice they’ve been working with, upon their completion of the program,” she said.
“Importantly, during this process we’ll be connecting the apprentices and employers with the broader civil construction community and developing key relationships across government and our partnering organisations.”
“We believe our new Pathways program can deliver genuine ‘win-wins’ for all involved!”
The Pathways Program is a CCF Victoria and Victorian Government Initiative.
Applications for the program are now open and details can be found at: www.ccfvic.com.au/pathways