WA’s leading trade training and employment services organisation, Skill Hire, will begin delivering Mechanical Plumbing training and Fire Protection (Sprinkler Fitting) training in 2027 – removing the need for local businesses to send their apprentices to the east coast for this learning.
The move comes after months of stakeholder negotiation, planning, and consultation with government and will save the WA construction industry hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel and other costs.
At present, businesses wanting to train their apprentices in the above qualifications have to send their workers to the east coast for training which impacts on the ability for local companies to grow their workforce and meet demand.
“This addition to our industry-leading training will consolidate Skill Hire’s place as the state’s only full-service plumbing training and employment organisation,” said Ben Dahlstrom, Skill Hire’s CEO.
“We have responded to stakeholder requests for this type of training and look forward to working closely with industry, suppliers, unions, government and other parties to ensure it is fit for purpose and satisfies demand,” he added.
The Air Conditioning & Mechanical Contractors Association of Australia (AMCA), the industry’s leading association, has established a technical working group with Skill Hire comprising some of the state’s biggest service providers along with AMCA advisors.
“AMCA is proud to be working with Skill Hire to finally see the delivery of the mechanical services plumbing qualification on the ground in WA,” said Ian Ferguson, WA Advisory Board Chair. “This qualification is an important step towards increasing the number of apprentices in training, lifting the skill of tradespeople across the sector, and providing a clear career pathway into our industry. It adds real value to our members and marks the beginning of a campaign to raise awareness of the critical role mechanical services plays in the built environment,” added Ian.
Christine Zechowski, acting CEO of IntoWork, Skill Hire’s parent company, added: “Adding this critical training to WA is a much-needed service which has been a long time in the making and one that highlights the depth of expertise in our group which spans from WA to the east coast and across to New Zealand,” she said.
Skill Hire trains and employs thousands of people in plumbing each year from Year 9 programs at school to Try a Trades and school-based pre-apprenticeship scholarships, sponsored by the Construction Training Fund, as well as full-time pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships and hosting hundreds of apprentices through its group training division.
Skill Hire anticipates delivery of training in the above qualifications will commence in H2 2027 subject to compliance and finalisation of its existing preliminary regulatory approvals.
