Completing an apprenticeship with HIA Apprentices is the first step towards a secure and rewarding career in the building and construction sector.

Through its nationally recognised apprenticeship program, HIA Apprentices can provide you with the expert training and support you need to become a fully qualified tradesperson.

A career in building and construction

The Australian building and construction industry is a large, diverse and exciting industry that provides endless opportunities to change and improve the world around us. It also offers a diverse range of employment and career opportunities. 

No matter what trade you decide to take on – whether it’s a bricklayer, carpenter, architect or construction manager – you’ll find a job that challenges and rewards you. The industry needs people who can combine creativity with a set of technical and practical skills. It’s the ideal path for people who like figuring out how things work, how to make things with their hands, and who enjoy working as a member of a team and taking charge of projects. 

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Benefits of working in the building industry

As a tradesperson working in the sector you’ll enjoy all of the following benefits:

• The feeling of working as an important part of a team
• A large variety of work
• The opportunity to work abroad
• The satisfaction that comes with knowing you have built something that will last a lifetime
• The chance to work your way to the top 
• Freedom to start your own business
• The option to work towards a range of respected professional qualifications
• Putting your creative skills to the test
• The chance to work with both your hands and head.

Why become an apprentice?

No matter whether you’re starting out or looking to further your set of skills, you’ll find a mentor willing to help you become a successful tradesperson in your own right. One thing’s for sure – you won’t be starting out on your own. You’ll join a team of specialist people all working together to make a project the best it can be.

As an apprentice, no one day is the same as the next. Apprentices and trainees may spend a day in the office and then time working outdoors on the job. The opportunity to learn various skills in different environments is fundamental to learning a trade and will provide you with a foundation for future career growth.

There’s a massive range of training available at all levels, so there are plenty of opportunities to progress within the industry. And because there are predictions of skill shortages in certain areas in the near future, you have a very real opportunity to secure a long-term career by learning a trade. Who knows, you might even end up running your own business. 

Benefits of becoming a HIA apprentice

HIA Apprentices is a nationally registered Group Training Organisation (GTO) that specialises in the building industry. We don’t just manage an apprenticeship – we actively work with Host Employers and apprentices to unlock their full potential.

Group Training Organisations like HIA Apprentices offer significant advantages that many other employers of apprentices and trainees aren’t able to provide. By undertaking an HIA apprenticeship, for example, apprentices and trainees have access to a wide variety of host businesses, which allows them to experience different placements and learn multiple skills.

Because HIA Apprentices is nationally accredited, we meet a set of national standards that ensure our apprentices:

• are paid on time and correctly for the work they do
• enjoy superannuation, tax and long service leave
• are paid for annual leave, sick leave and RDOs
• have their Trade School fees reimbursed
• enjoy the security of knowing they’re employed by a national employer
• are matched with host employers who are looking for an apprentice/trainee and who meet stringent safety and training standards
• have flexibility in working conditions and job rotation so they can become multi-skilled
• are provided with all the personal protective equipment they need, including work boots
• are given mentoring and safety training
• receive regular on-site visits from HIA Apprentices staff.

What skills are needed? 

There are a variety of skills used in the building and construction industry, across professional, technical, trade and semi-skilled areas. Here are some of the skills and qualifications needed to take up employment in the sector:

Professional (degree qualifications usually required)

• engineering – civil and structural, mechanical, electrical and materials engineers
• construction management and support areas – quantity surveyors, accountants, human resources, occupational health and safety management, and safety and logistics personnel (diploma and certificate qualifications may apply to some support areas)
• design – architects, surveyors and town planners

Technical (diploma and post-trade certificate training usually required)

• draftspersons – including architectural, civil and electrical
• estimators, contract administrators and schedulers
• site supervisors and site managers
• engineering technicians or associates
• building designers

Trade (through an apprenticeship)

• licensed trades such as electricians and plumbers
• commercial trades – metal fabricators, glaziers, refrigeration and air-conditioning tradespeople, fire sprinkler system installers and painters
• residential trades – carpenters, tilers, glaziers, painters, cabinet makers, plasterers bricklayers, concreters, and wall and ceiling fixers

Skilled job-specific (on the job certificate, and traineeship training options available)

• mobile plant and earthmoving equipment operators
• scaffolders, doggers, riggers and trade assistants

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Getting started and pathways

Like every industry today, the building and construction sector is in a constant state of change, thanks to the introduction of new materials, new technology and updates to legislation and regulations. A major change in recent years has been in the educational requirements for entry to the industry.

It’s no longer possible to drift through school and expect to easily find work in the building industry. Employers want apprentices who have a positive attitude to work so will look for people with broad skills and a good work ethic.

Pathways to a career in building and construction include pre-apprenticeships that can be started in Year 11 at school, apprenticeships, vocational certificates and diplomas, university degrees, or short courses to obtain tickets/licenses for operating machinery. Current school students need to consider all options available to them, including school-based apprenticeships, as well as accessing vocational certificate courses while completing years 11 and 12.

Completion of years 11 and 12 will help students access courses and apprenticeships/traineeships, and will greatly improve future career options.

Some quick tips for students:

• Jump online and research careers of interest
• Find people who work in the career you’re considering and ask them a range of questions so you can better understand the requirements of the job
• Consider seeking work experience opportunities or becoming a trade assistant to test-drive the job.