Building a bigger, better-trained and more productive workforce

Master Builders Australia has today released its submission to the Federal Treasury’s Employment White Paper.

Adapting to the future of work and structural changes within the economy will require businesses and workers to embrace uncertainty, be flexible and engage in lifelong learning says Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn.

“Building and construction is one of the largest sectors in Australia employing one in ten working Australians and represents over 400,000 small businesses.

“The economy relies on the strength of the industry which is entrenched across many sectors from manufacturing, professional services, and local hospitality.

“With 98 per cent of businesses in building and construction being small business, more can be done to simplify complex and inconsistent regulatory requirements so tradies can spend less time in the back office and more time on the tools, growing their business and employing more people.

“Our submission calls on the Government to utilise policy levers that drive business success by returning to a flexible industrial relations system, reducing unnecessary regulation, ending the bias towards vocational education and training, and making Australia an attractive destination for migration.

“Master Builders remains deeply concerned that the industrial relations reforms enacted and proposed by the Government will not deliver the benefit to workplaces they intend it to and is contrary to the aims of the White Paper.

“Attracting enough people to our industry to meet the demands of the coming decades is a major challenge.

“To address workforce shortages in a low unemployment environment, governments need to think outside of the box using multiple levers including lifting participation, migration, and improving workforce mobility.

“We also need to level the playing field between vocational and higher education – starting with comprehensive and unbiased careers education in secondary schools.

“Master Builders is a strong advocate of work integrated learning pathways and ensuring they are inclusive and fit for purpose.

“The new industry jobs and skills councils for building and construction is a step in the right direction to address some of the challenges around maintaining up-to-date and future focussed qualifications and training,” Ms Wawn said.