Australian Construction Industry Welcomes Coalition Commitment to Prioritise All Construction Skills

The Australian construction industry — represented by Master Builders Australia (MBA), the Civil Contractors Federation (CCF), and the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) — has welcomed the Coalition’s election commitment to invest $500 million into new apprenticeship and prioritise construction skills, including those in civil construction, on the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List.

The announcement responds directly to calls from across the industry to ensure civil trades receive the same recognition and support as other construction pathways.

Critical Construction occupations to be prioritised include:

• Earthmoving Plant Operator (General)
• Excavator Operator
• Grader Operator
• Mobile Plant Operator
• Concreter
• Fibrous Plasterer

This is a win for civil contractors, for the broader construction industry, and for Australia’s future infrastructure delivery.

The construction sector employs over 200,000 civil workers across Australia, yet participation in apprenticeship-level training remains well below the national average. This commitment ensures civil apprentices will be eligible for financial support under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System.

The industry is now calling on the Albanese Government to match this announcement and extend the same recognition to all construction apprentices including civil across Australia, to build a resilient construction workforce capable of delivering the housing and infrastructure Australians need.

The industry stands ready to work with all levels of government to implement this commitment and ensure civil construction remains front and centre in national workforce planning.