Last weekend’s Skills West Expo in WA was fortunate to have as its ambassador Renae Wauhop popular runner-up on the first season of Channel 7′s The Amazing Race Australia.  No doubt she was one reason for the massive success with up to 17,000 visitors over the three days from Friday, visiting 130 exhibits across three pavilions. 

ABBTF participated in the event promoting Bricklaying as a career choice providing future freedom and growth and Renae wasn’t shy at trying her hand with the trowel at the ABBTF stand.   Renae has had a go at many trades already in her 24 years, including basic mechanics, plus she holds retail and wholesale certificates and has done on the job training as a labourer with a roof tiling company.  Renae has an incredibly busy life and career which includes modelling, television presenting and weekly radio hosting on 92.9FM, managing Hurt Locker in Claremont’s gym and instructing in Box Fit boxing classes.  Oh yes, and there’s also boyfriend West Coast Eagles footballer Mark Nikoski to catch up with in between time.  Did we mention the occasional arm wrestling too! 

At the Expo Renae encouraged everyone to set goals for themselves - she certainly doesn’t seem to struggle with this.   Trade expos are a great place to start setting goals and with the wealth of information on training colleges, employers, industries and Government initiatives currently in Western Australia this was a top Expo.

The support that ABBTF’s Bricklaying exhibition received from local industry stakeholders was overwhelming as we also ran a WorldSkills pre competition event.  The actual National WorldSkills event, where Australia’s top Apprentice Bricklayer will be judged from the 14 Regional Award winners, takes place over four days in Sydney from Thursday August 30th.   WA has three apprentice contenders for the National WorldSkills award including Samuel Long, Rhyse Moroney and Alan Ramsden.   Best wishes guys, we know you’ll give your all.

Dean Pearson, ABBTF WA Manager

With the very cold weather we’ve all been experiencing lately, employers and apprentices will appreciate the warm ABBTF beanies being distributed in each state as part of ABBTF’s Subsidy Support program.  As well as being very functional, the branded Beanie works to keep the role of ABBTF in the minds of the industry.  ABBTF co-ordinates funding and other support for both bricklayers and their apprentices nationally and is always only a phone call away, for any queries on 1300 30 44 77 or to speak with your State Manager check out the local contact details.  This website and ABBTF’s employer website are packed with useful background and up to the minute information on your industry.  

Geoff Noble, General Manager, ABBTF

Don’t Miss: Australia’s next National Bricklaying Apprentice champion will be determined at the National WorldSkills Competition taking place in Homebush Sydney from the 30th August to the 1st of September. The general public are most welcome and entry is free. The bricklaying competition is a highlight of the event and the ABBTF “speed test” at lunchtime on Thursday the 30th of August should not be missed.

Running so close after the Sporting Olympics, it’s interesting to compare the different conditions in the ‘Skills’ Olympics with the sporting games. For starters, the Olympic Games are run every four years compared to the International WorldSkills Competitions that are run every two, next year’s being in Leipzig Germany. WorldSkills competitors can only compete in one International Competition and there is an age limit (23 years old for most categories). It’s literally a once in a lifetime opportunity. See the 2012 Australian Regional Bricklaying Champions eligible to compete in the upcoming Nationals here.

Although many sporting competitors need to adapt to local conditions, most tracks and pieces of equipment are very similar. However, the adaptation and adjustment required from WorldSkills competitors is much more intense. Using bricklaying as an example, bricks sizes vary greatly from country to country as do the mortar materials used to lay them.  Equipment such as bricksaws and profiles are also totally different to what most competitors would be familiar with. Add to this the language barrier if it is a non-English speaking host country, like next year and it magnifies the issue. Terminology can also be tricky, terms such as ‘frog’ and ‘Larry’ do not carry the same meaning in many other bricklaying industries around the world.

ALL the international WorldSkills competitions go for four days. They do not have a heat here and there and then compete for a medal in a short final, the WorldSkills competitors will be competing for 22 hours over four days, most of them in highly physical competitions such as bricklaying. 

You will also have noticed that the medal presentations occur during the days of competition in the Olympic Games and the emotion is often overwhelming as the medals are placed over the heads of those that have done so well. Despite these competitors already being aware of their success, it is still a powerful and proud moment. In the International WorldSkills competition, all the medals are awarded in one medal ceremony a day or so after the competition has ended. No competitor is aware if they have medalled or not. Those that have won the Gold do not know. Can you imagine the reactions from the competitors and all their compatriot supporters as the medallists are announced? There’s nothing quite like it.

Troy Everett
Bricklaying Category Expert, WorldSkills,
A/Head Teacher – Civil Engineering, Surveying and Mapping
TAFE NSW – Illawarra Institute, Wollongong Campus

Like many people I have been very captivated by the drama and charm that is the Olympic Games. In any discipline, from swimming to athletics, Ping Pong to weightlifting the stakes seem to be that much higher in the Olympic arena. The same can be said for the International WorldSkills competitions where our yet to be determined National bricklayer champion will compete in 2013 in Leipzig Germany.   Emotions run high as competitors have to perform in this narrow window of opportunity after so much training and preparation. WorldSkills, like the Olympics events also provide an opportunity to observe and learn about industries that you may not be ordinarily exposed to.

It’s also interesting to observe the reactions and emotions of the competitors once results are realised. Competition, and in particular Olympic style competition, has the habit of bringing out the best in people. The joy from competitors who receive a medal they didn’t expect to win. The reactions when favoured competitors do not achieve what they were hoping, and often the sportsmanship and humility of those who admit to being beaten by someone better on the day but vowing to work harder to do better next time.

There has been a lot of discussion about whether the current Olympic Team has ‘underperformed’. I personally don’t subscribe to this as they are purely looking at Gold medal tallies. If you look at the total number of medals won, Australia would be in the top ten easily and that is a much better reflection on how we have gone in my opinion.

Having said this, comparatively the Australian WorldSkills Team (the “Skillaroos”) have been ranked in the top five (out of 52 member countries) in the past two international competitions.  In the last International Team that competed in London, 9 out of 28 competitors won medals. Aside from these 9, another 15 won medallions of excellence for outstanding performance in their field. Just as in the Olympics, many other countries attribute much larger resources and money to the campaigns, so that makes these figures even more impressive.

Our skill competitors deserve admiration for how they have performed. Just as sport plays a valuable part in the Australian way of life, so do skills and skill development. Without the skill industries, there would be no stadiums to hold the games, nor catering to feed the people or clothing for the runners to run in (that could be interesting).

The next Skillaroos team will be selected after the National WorldSkills Competition that is taking place in Homebush Sydney from the 30th August to the 1st of September. The general public are most welcome and entry is free. The bricklaying competition is a highlight of the event and the ABBTF “speed test” at lunchtime on Thursday the 30th of August should not be missed.

Troy Everett
Bricklaying Category Expert, WorldSkills,
A/Head Teacher – Civil Engineering, Surveying and Mapping
TAFE NSW – Illawarra Institute, Wollongong Campus

There have been some misconceptions and assumptions made in relation to this topic in the last 12 months.  As such I wanted to write this blog to clear up the issue and hopefully put our stakeholders at ease.

Back in 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to introduce a national licensing system with the principal goal of reforming existing regulatory requirements and process’s.

Legislation was introduced to form a National Occupational Licensing Authority (NOLA), whereby they could maintain and administer a public register of all trade licensees.  This system has been created as an important tool for clients and builders when selecting licensed tradesman to undertake work.

National Licensing reform is also expected to improve occupational health and safety conditions, boost labour availability and labour mobility given that a licensed tradesman will be able to move from state to state.  In implementing this system, NOLA is consulting with industry to seek advice and feedback relating to industry standards, practices and expectations.

Consultation with industry is ongoing in relation to the impact of trade licence reform, legislation framework and regulation.  IAC’s or Interim Advisory Committees have been formed for the first round of national licences which are expected to be introduced by 2013. These include:

•    Electrical Occupations
•    Plumbing and Gas Fitting
•    Property Occupations
•    Refrigeration & Air Conditioning.

These groups have since come together to develop elements of the licensing policy which included licence categories and types, scope of work, skilled and non skilled eligibility criteria and licensing characteristics including exemptions and restrictions.

Further to this, other building related trade licensing (including bricklaying) discussions have been suspended until such time that the above trade areas have been implemented.  Discussions and consultation is not expected to resume until at least May 2014.

It must be said however that even if the current COAG agenda was implemented in its entirety, WA would be under no obligation to licence trades not currently covered!  In the mean time however, ABBTF in WA will continue to promote the value of trade qualifications.  This is why ABBTF provides a $400 tool voucher for any bricklayer in WA who obtains his trade qualification through recognition of prior learning (RPL) or trade skill recognition (TSR) through a quality training provider.

Some builders are now encouraging their trades to gain their qualifications through this system, especially those who have been working in the industry for some time and currently or previously have hosted or employed apprentices.  This makes sense given that builders need to build the best product that they can and demonstrate in the process that they are using quality trades.

For information on National Licensing go to http://nola.gov.au/  For information on gaining your bricklaying qualification through RPL contact myself on 0418200401 or e-mail dean.pearson@abbtf.com.au

Dean Pearson
WA Manager, ABBTF

The Olympics aren’t the only games being played this month.  The WorldSkills apprenticeship championships for the Australian national titles take place over three days in Sydney later this month and vying for top bricklayer are representatives from all States who have won their Regional WorldSkills titles.  A special feature edition of Aussie Bricklayer with profiles on all the Regional winners will be emailed to you soon. (Register here if you’re not already receiving Aussie Bricklayer)

I have been involved with WorldSkills for 20 years, helping lift the profile of bricklaying and it has been a true privilege.  I’m looking forward to meeting the next generation of top Australian bricklayers at the national competition in Sydney and can’t wait to see the competitors in action.

Over my 20 years, I’ve met many outstanding young competitors that will go on to become industry leaders and enjoy further successes.  I have also shared ideas and concepts with the best teachers in Australia and the world and I love reinvesting this learning and experience into my teaching both with TAFE NSW and Worldskills Australia. I particularly enjoy seeing the growth in competitors from young, keen apprentices and trainees to robust tradespersons ready to take on the world.

My role with WorldSkills involves organising competitions and developing elite training programs at various levels including regional, national and international events.  Last year I was very pleased to be unanimously voted in as the Chief Expert for the International Competition in Germany, 2013. The vote was taken from international representatives from over 25 countries so it was a great honour to secure this role for myself and Australia.

ABBTF  is about to publish an Honour Roll of bricklayer National WorldSkills winners over the last 30 years, in a special national edition of Aussie Bricklayer.  You might be surprised to see that Glen Brasen representing bricklaying, won the first ever Aussie Gold medal across all trades, at the international WorldSkills in Japan in 1985, the first year our trade fielded an entrant and the second year Australia participated.  We went on to win Gold internationally in bricklaying in another two successive years but didn’t again win a medal till very recently.  Let’s hope this year’s Australian National delivers us a future international award winner but just getting to the international stage is a mighty win.  So bring it on and good luck guys!

Troy Everett
A/Head Teacher – Civil Engineering, Surveying and Mapping
TAFE NSW – Illawarra Institute, Wollongong Campus