Industry Forum 2008: A Focus on Solutions

Thursday 20 November 2008

John McNally

Chair

Panel members

Randall Fuller, Human Resource Manager (Multiplex)
Anne Duggan, Training Manager (CFMEU)
Doug McClusky, Manager Plumbing Joint Training Fund  (Plumbing Trades Employees Union)
Jane Clancy, Project Officer (BICCIAB)
Lee Watts, Executive Director of Skills Funding and Innovation  (Skills Victoria)
Brian Welch, Executive Director (Master Builders Association of Victoria)

 

Randall Fuller -Keynote Address

Human Resource Manager (Multiplex)

As the Keynote speaker, Randell set the tone of the forum – that the focus of 2009 will be on how the Australian economy will cope with the global economic downturn, more importantly how the building and construction industry will be impacted.

Randell focused on three main issues :
1. Investment 2. Sustainability and 3. Work/life balance.
The following issues were raised by Randell in relation to these subjects.

1. Investment

  • Just getting new jobs will be a focus in 2009. Over the past two weeks $450million of projects had ‘disappeared’.
  • Government investment in projects will stimulate demand and meet community needs, however private investment has ‘dried up.’
  • Population growth is also an issue for Victoria

2. Sustainability

  • Sustainability continues to be a key issue, construction is at the forefront of reducing emissions with 40% of emissions due to the built environment.
  • Green star will continue to dominate, Multiplex has a recent building 5 star accredited and are now constructing the Melbourne Convention Centre that will be 6 Star.
  • Investors are prepared to pay more for green buildings
  • Multiplex are currently undertaking a project to measure carbon emissions during construction. The outcome of which will be a booklet identifying how to mitigate this impact.
  • Managing waste on site continues to be a focal point.

3. Work/life balance

  • The recession may hinder this workplace issue, in hard times people will ‘give this up’ just to have a job.
  • The industry is plagued by excessive hours, employment insecurity and ‘skills crisis’.
  • Those working in the industry (as a generalisation) have a poor diet, drink too much, work too many hours, and as a consequence the industry loses good people and the new generation have different expectations of their employer and their job.

Randell concluded by stating that the challenge for 2009 will be to withstand difficult time and make the most of change and don’t ‘run away’ from issues just because it is going to be hard.
    

Anne Duggan

Training Manager (CFMEU)
CPC08 Training Package update

Anne commenced her presentation by providing an overview in regards to the training package development goal for Victorian representatives ‘to maintain and increase the skills base of the industry and the new Training Package does not meet this measure’.

Anne provided an example of the sound trade skills (that have been built upon to specialise) of David Mulholland and Bruce Walker. This involved showcasing photos of their restoration work at Luna Park and the Regent Theatre. The Victorian industry views on the new training package are ‘not against modernisation, but must maintain the integrity of the trade – not part tradespeople’.

There are also major OHS concerns with the new Training Package. Anne presented a number of photos highlighting why there is such a strong need to ‘get it right’ in regards to OHS. Currently the package would present major safety issues in relation to cranes/dogging/rigging as there is no integration between licencing and the package.

The advice from the CFMEU is to remove Certificate II qualifications in concreting and steelfixing and have one qualification for carpentry.
    

Doug McClusky

Manager Plumbing Joint Training Fund  (Plumbing Trades Employees Union)

CPC08 Training Package update – ‘plumbers perspective’
Plumbing Workforce Development Plan

Doug’s presentation focused on three topics

  • The outstanding issues with the Training Package
  • The Workforce Development Project
  • The new training centre at Brunswick

 

Jane Clancy

Project Officer (BICCIAB)
BICCIAB Apprenticeship report -  Apprenticeship attrition in the building industry
 
Lee Watts, Executive Director of Skills Funding and Innovation  (Skills Victoria)

How the Ministerial Statement – ‘Securing Jobs for Your Future’ – will impact on the building industry

Lee provided an overview of the Ministerial Statement and noted the following

  • The building industry is the first focus of ‘rolling out’ the outcomes of the statement
  • There is increased funding for ITABs
  • Skills Victoria want to work with industry to create demand, based on a UK model to create training outcomes
  • Skills Victoria are looking to ITABs to stimulate training demand.

Brian Welch -Building industry response to skills reform

Executive Director  (Master Builders Association of Victoria)

Brian highlighted the impending downturn in the industry and his concerns for the future. Brian noted that

  • The building industry is committed to skilling its people to meet societies expectations
  • The industry wants to be attractive to new entrants
  • The industry is not regulated and the impact this has on a range of issues the industry faces.
  • Construction has simply ‘stopped’ by the banks and the ETU is stating that 10,000 building jobs will go in the economic downturn
  • Government statistics show that the industry needed to build 10,000 more units to satisfy demand
  • The BICC is completing a Workforce Plan to identify future skills demand and supply  

Forum panel

Questions from the floor to our speakers plus Earl Setches (PETU), Mary Gates (Master Builders Assoc of Vic), Vin Ebejer (Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Assoc of Aust), Liam O’Hearn (CFMEU)