Trade careers suffer thanks to lowering university standards

The Australian Brick and Blocklaying Training Foundation (ABBTF) says that 200 currently unfilled apprentice vacancies are the result of university dropping entry standards, depleting the pool of potential apprentices.

The ABBTF says this this short-sighted strategy to boost numbers coincides with a major building boom and a record number of over 200,000 dwelling starts and that the shortage of bricklayers and other trades is slowing construction in markets right down the eastern seaboard.

The recent news that universities are offering places to students with significantly lower ATAR scores than are standard entry level, across a wide range of courses, is a major concern for the construction industry and specifically the bricklaying trade, where acute skill shortages are being experienced.

Many universities are accepting students into courses with ATAR scores well below the required standard, which is not only giving students false hope (from which some don’t recover to compete in the tertiary education market), but it is likely to increase the current first year dropout rate of 15%. It unfairly burdens such students with a HECS-HELP debt and a missed opportunity to start an apprenticeship.

According to the ABBTF, the problem is further exacerbated as around one-third of tertiary leavers are not able to get a job immediately following their education. The ABBTF quoted Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham as saying, “Australian (youth) must think carefully about the courses they enrol in to ensure they are entering a course that they are not only passionate about, but that has a job at the end. Universities must take responsibility for those students they choose to enrol and ensure they have the capabilities and support to succeed.”

Geoff Noble, CEO of the ABBTF, believes that young people with ATAR scores below the required level should think twice before accepting places offered by a university as there are many great opportunities in the construction industry and none better than an apprenticeship in bricklaying, where you are paid to learn.

“It offers a valued qualification with life long application and an extensive range of career paths while working outdoors,” he said.