Our Mission
To ensure there is an adequate and competent Brick and Blocklaying workforce to support the demand for Bricks and Blocks as a construction material. To improve the standing of Brick and Blocklayers within the industry.
Our Vision
To be acknowledged as the trusted leader in delivering capability to sustain the future workforce of the clay brick and concrete masonry industry
Meet Our StaffABBTF 4 pillars
To support our Vision and Mission, it is important that our business model remains agile and flexible in an ever-changing environment.
ABBTF aims to meet industry challenges and increased demands through a cohesive and organised business model which is focused on the following four pillars – Attract, Prepare, Place and Retain.
Our refined business model now reflects our strategic objectives and will drive a suite of operational activities which are focused on candidate care, the apprentice pipeline, filling vacancies, individual and team responsibilities.
Attract
ABBTF’s attraction activities and efforts are focused on maintaining and developing a throughput of quality and eligible candidates.
Prepare
ABBTF provides a suite of tailored and interactive programs aimed at ensuring candidates are prepared and suited to a career in bricklaying.
Place
ABBTF’s #1 priority is the placement of candidates into bricklaying vacancies and to support employment outcomes across the industry including: work trial, pre-apprenticeship training, apprenticeships and trade based roles.
Retain
ABBTF will lead the industry in providing a range of services and support, at critical milestones, to improve the retention of apprentices currently under training.
Our History
Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation Ltd (ABBTF) trading as Become a Bricklayer represents clay brick and concrete masonry manufacturers and was created to address the critical shortage of skilled bricklayers.
Victorian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation Ltd (VBBTF) was established in June 2003 following a request from the Clay Brick & Paver Association of Victoria, representing Brick and Block manufacturers, for a levy funded scheme to be put in place to address the shortage of competent bricklayers in Victoria.
In January 2006, the name was changed to Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation Ltd (ABBTF). A new Board was appointed, and the Victorian business model was rolled out to all States as ABBTF, starting with the consolidation of Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. In 2007 Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania were added to the group and operations commenced nationally.
ABBTF is governed by a Board of Directors who represent the Clay Brick and Block Manufacturers, Builders, a Registered Training Organisation, the Housing Industry Association and the Master Builders Association. The structure of the Board is to ensure all relevant parties in the building and construction industry are represented.
View Member CompaniesContact details of our staff members.
HEAD OFFICE
Unit 2, 42-46 Cochranes Road, Moorabbin, Vic 3189.
Michael Morrissey
Chief Executive Officer
Phone: 03 9556 3033
Mobile: 0439 379 221
michael.morrissey@abbtf.com.auAyesha Dadlani
Marketing and Communications Manager
Phone: 03 9556 3030
Mobile: 0426 584 488
ayesha.dadlani@abbtf.com.auNATIONAL OPERATIONS
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
PO Box 1095, CANNING VALE DC, WA, 6970
Unit 7, 110 Bannister Road, CANNING VALE, WA, 6155
VICTORIA/TASMANIA
Unit 2, 42-46 Cochranes Road, Moorabbin, Vic 3189.
Jacqui Breeuwer
Industry Engagement Officer – VIC-TAS
Phone: 03 9556 3038
Mobile: 0422 233 768
jacqui.breeuwer@abbtf.com.auNEW SOUTH WALES/AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Unit 8, 18 Wurrook Circuit Caringbah, NSW, 2229
Nadine McEwan
Community & School Liaison Officer– NSW-ACT
Mobile: 0475 100 030
nadine.mcewan@abbtf.com.auQUEENSLAND/SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Unit 7, 8 Shannon Place, Virginia, QLD, 4014
Tenille Reilly
Industry Engagement Officer – QLD-SA
Phone: 07 3265 3944
Mobile: 0475 909 040
tenille.reilly@abbtf.com.auABBTF Member Companies
Victoria
| Austral Bricks | 132 742 | www.australbricks.com.au |
| PGH Bricks & Pavers | 131 579 | www.pghbricks.com.au |
| Austral Masonry | 1300 627 557 | www.australmasonry.com.au |
| Adbri Masonry | 1300 365 565 | www.adbrimasonry.com.au |
New South Wales
| Austral Bricks | 132 742 | www.australbricks.com.au |
| PGH Bricks & Pavers | 131 579 | www.pghbricks.com.au |
| Austral Masonry | 1300 627 667 | www.australmasonry.com.au |
| Adbri Masonry | 1300 365 565 | www.adbrimasonry.com.au |
| Baines Masonry | 02 4631 1383 | www.bainesmasonry.com.au |
| Namoi Valley Brickworks | 02 6742 0533 | www.nvbrickworks.com.au |
Australian Capital Territory
| Austral Bricks | 132 742 | www.australbricks.com.au |
| PGH Bricks & Pavers | 131 579 | www.pghbricks.com.au |
| Austral Masonry | 1300 627 667 | www.australmasonry.com.au |
| Adbri Masonry | 1300 365 565 | www.adbrimasonry.com.au |
Queensland
| Austral Bricks | 132 742 | www.australbricks.com.au |
| PGH Bricks & Pavers | 131 579 | www.pghbricks.com.au |
| Austral Masonry | 1300 627 667 | www.australmasonry.com.au |
| Adbri Masonry | 1300 365 565 | www.adbrimasonry.com.au |
| Scott Brickworks | 07 4774 5300 | Email: scottbrickworks@bigpond.com |
Western Australia
| Austral Bricks | 132 742 | www.australbricks.com.au |
| Brikmakers | 1300 360 344 | www.brikmakers.com |
| Midland Brick | 13 15 40 | www.midlandbrick.com.au |
South Australia
| Austral Bricks | 132 742 | www.australbricks.com.au |
| PGH Bricks & Pavers | 131 579 | www.pghbricks.com.au |
| Adbri Masonry | 1300 365 565 | www.adbrimasonry.com.au |
| Boral Masonry | 08 8304 6999 | www.boral.com.au |
Tasmania
| Austral Bricks | 132 742 | www.australbricks.com.au |
| Adbri Masonry | 1300 365 565 | www.adbrimasonry.com.au |
| Island Block & Paving | 1800 004 499 | www.islandblock.com.au |
Board of Directors
The ABBTF Board represents a cross section of industry stakeholders and is responsible for overseeing the implementation of strategies to address the skill shortage in bricklaying.
Michael Morrissey
Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation
ABBTF Annual Reports
The Australian Brick and Blocklaying Training Foundation provides annual reports to members, outlining our objective, strategies and performance highlights of the year. As an organisation committed to improving outcomes for brick suppliers, bricklayers, apprentices and others in the industry, we strive to keep improving industry and employment outcomes into the future. Our annual reports allow our members to see our achievements throughout the year, industry challenges, funding breakdowns and changes to the organisation.
Our members are important to us, and so we want to inform them of opportunities within the bricklaying industry for the future and our current initiatives. We encourage taking a look at the annual report each year to keep in touch with the industry at large.
Our operating results are also published annually, and they outline key metrics in the bricklaying industry. These metrics aide us in determining our vision for the future, where funding should go, and what initiatives we can bring forward to improve outcomes for our members and future apprentices.
From time to time, we conduct industry research reports to more accurately determine what employers and apprentices are looking for in different parts of the country. These reports include stories, surveys and suggestions from the ground to give more clarity to the statistics.
After older reports? Contact Us
Research Reports
Training bricklayers on the job has its challenges
Bricklaying Contractors Stepping Up – May 2013
Insights into Bricklaying Apprenticeships
Barriers and Drivers for Bricklaying Apprenticeships
Barriers and Drivers Report – 1 July 2009
Innovative Practices in Bricklaying
Innovative Practices Report – 1 July 2009
National Bricklaying Apprenticeship Status Report
ABBTF Funding
The ABBTF programs to address the skill shortage in bricklaying are funded by a small levy on the sale of clay bricks and concrete masonry and a matching contribution from brick and block manufacturers.
The levy represents $12 on the cost of an average house and $30 for double brick construction which is prominent in Western Australia.
Brick Levy Calculation:
| Clay Bricks: |
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| Concrete Masonry: |
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| Excludes: |
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Funds collected in each state are applied to programs to address the skill shortage in the state.
Note: In Western Australia double height clay bricks attract a levy of $3 per thousand and there is no levy on the sale of concrete masonry.
ACCC Authorisation Press Release
ACCC reauthorises brick levy to help with bricklayer shortage
3 July 2014
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has granted authorisation to the Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation (ABBTF), Think Brick Australia and the Concrete Masonry Association of Australia to continue to apply a small levy on the sale of clay brick and concrete masonry products.
The funds raised will support programmes to address shortages of trained bricklayers by promoting bricklaying apprenticeships to school leavers and bricklayers, and assisting apprentices to complete their training.
“The levy makes it easier for bricklayers to take on apprentices,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Jill Walker said.
“While the levy does add about $15 to the cost of building a house, this is more than offset by the benefit to consumers of reducing delays to construction caused by bricklayer shortages.”
Authorisation provides statutory protection from court action for conduct that might otherwise raise concerns under the competition provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. Broadly, the ACCC may grant an authorisation when it is satisfied that the public benefit from the conduct outweighs any public detriment.
Further information is available on the public register.
Release number:
MR 174/14
Media enquiries:
Media team – 1300 138 917
Official Media Release on the ACCC website.
Issued: 3rd July 2014
Relating register records
Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation Ltd
The ACCC’s determination application for revocation of A91133 & A91166 and Substitution with Authorisation A91418 is available from the ACCC website.