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Door Opens For Budding Bricklayers Students and members of the partnership celebrate the launch of the new bricklaying program. (L - R) Chris Hecker, Geoff Baun, Mark Pastuszyn, Harley Kemp, Stuart McCullough (EVGT) and Ray Mason-Woods (GippsTAFE). A new course offers budding bricklayers an opportunity to get into an industry that is experiencing a skills shortage. By GippsTAFE - 21st June 2006 - Back to News GippsTAFE, Eastern Victorian Group Training and the Victorian Brick and Blocklaying Training Foundation have joined forces to try and address the shortage of bricklayers.
With the support of the Commonwealth Government’s Group Training in the Trades program, the partnership is now delivering a pre-apprenticeship course that will assist people on the path to a job in the industry.
Ray Mason-Woods, Head of GippsTAFE’s Centre for Building and Decoration, said GippsTAFE had been approached to deliver the training within the course because of the high demand for bricklayers in regional Victoria.
"GippsTAFE is the only provider conducting the pre-apprenticeship course east of the metropolitan area, allowing Gippsland-based students to develop their skills locally. The program, which was launched on Monday, will take sixteen weeks to complete and aims to prepare course participants to get an apprenticeship."
According to Mr Mason-Woods, the course could not have come at a better time. "Bricklaying is one of the trades that is experiencing a skills shortage at the moment, which means there are great opportunities to find employment and establish a good career in the building industry," he said. "One of the greatest benefits of this course is the practical placement component, which gives students both hands-on experience and a foot in the door."
The bricklaying pre-apprenticeship course will add another dimension to the programs that are on offer within the GippsTAFE Centre for Building and Decoration.
"There is clearly a big need for people in the building trades," Mr Mason-Woods said. "Our courses are designed to give people the vocational skills and knowledge that are required by industry to get students started on their way to a good job and career."
For further information on the next Certificate II Bricklaying Pre-Apprenticeship course, please phone Ray Mason-Woods on 5127 0233, or to learn more about a career in bricklaying, visit www.bhab.com.au
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com

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