Older Australians are being encouraged to retrain for careers in the building industry as the federal government rolls out a free programme aimed at easing the country’s construction workforce shortage.
Among those who have made the switch is Chris Reppel, who left office work to become an apprentice carpenter at 43. The former home renovator said the decision had transformed his outlook on working life.
“Look, I cannot fathom exactly how much this decision has changed my life,” Mr Reppel said. “I’ve got a passion for it. That’s probably one of the biggest things. I look forward to Mondays now.”
Free training for experienced construction workers
The Advanced Entry Trades Training programme is being established with $78 million in federal funding to help 6,000 experienced but unqualified workers gain nationally recognised qualifications in residential housing and civil construction.
Rather than requiring participants to repeat training they already know, the scheme will assess their existing experience through recognition of prior learning, followed by targeted gap training where necessary.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations says the programme is expected to be implemented by state and territory governments during 2026, with TAFEs and other registered training organisations delivering the courses.
Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles said the initiative would allow people with practical experience to obtain formal recognition more quickly.
“People with skills but not qualifications in areas relevant to building homes for Australia could be fast-tracked to having those skills recognised,” Mr Giles said.
The programme is modelled on a New South Wales initiative designed to help experienced workers secure trade qualifications without completing the full traditional training pathway.
Construction worker Zac Nielsen, of Zabro Projects, is among those benefiting from the approach. He is due to qualify as a builder after completing training that would normally take between 12 and 18 months in about three months.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been real easy. I pretty much just called up and said, this is my scenario, this is what I want to do, these are my ambitions,” Mr Nielsen said.
Mr Reppel said he had no regrets about abandoning his office career and urged others considering a similar move to take the opportunity.
“I am so glad, so glad I made the decision to head down this road and give this a crack,” he said.
