Home supply boost with new qualification
Victoria leads the way with introduction of new TAFE course for students to learn to build prefabricated houses.
A PLAN to give young workers more qualified skills is set to help accelerate the building of more houses in Victoria.
The Victorian Government has launched the first accredited, long-form qualification delivered through Melbourne Polytechnic’s Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence.
The Certificate III in Prefabrication Installation will train students for careers building prefabricated homes.
Students will receive hands-on training and flexible blended learning. These skills are needed to work with modern methods of construction (MMC).
Modular housing is built off-site, then transported and assembled quickly on location, delivering quality homes faster and cheaper.
The Centre of Excellence is a national hub for training, research and innovation across Australia’s building industry.
Victoria is already home to more than 200 companies specialising in MMC, spanning design, manufacturing, transport, assembly and installation.
Federal minister for skills and training Andrew Giles said “building more homes, more efficiently starts with building the skilled workforce Australia needs”.
“This new qualification will help more Australians develop the practical skills needed to embrace modern construction methods and deliver more homes, faster,” he said.
Colin Brooks, Victorian minister for skills and TAFE, said: “Victoria’s construction sector employs nearly 350,000 people – we need more skilled workers to build the homes and energy projects Victoria needs.”
“New technology means new skills. This course makes sure our tradies are ready for it.”
Melbourne Polytechnic CEO Frances Coppolillo said: “The Certificate III is the first of its kind in Australia, established to prepare workers with the right tools and confidence needed for a career in modern methods of construction.”
