Apprentices benefit from Defence Housing Australia’s Apprenticeship Support Scheme

A new Defence Housing Australia (DHA) scheme will subsidise 20 new apprenticeship places across Australia.

The Apprenticeship Support Scheme is available to first time apprentices, as well as past apprentices whose placements were discontinued due to factors beyond their control.

The scheme complements the Australian Government’s job creation and training objectives, and will support an increase in DHA’s residential constructions. DHA received $251.6 million to build 802 Defence homes as part of the Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan.

The apprenticeship positions have been created in areas where DHA will have an intense level of construction activity over the next few years.

Four apprentices have already started work in Townsville. The new apprentices, aged between 17 and 20, have been working in the construction industry but were yet to secure apprenticeships.

In Townsville, DHA has partnered with TORGAS, an experienced and respected apprenticeship and training organisation. TORGAS will administer the scheme coordinating all aspects of the apprentices’ employment including leave, training and superannuation.

“If you are looking to commence as a first-year apprentice in Townsville there’s just no growth, not many contractors are offering first year apprenticeships,” said Bronwyn Wheldon, General Manager of TORGAS.

Bronwyn believes that the financial help from DHA has enabled contractors to take on new apprentices, making these four positions a reality.

David Reaston, 18, secured an electrical apprenticeship through the scheme.

“After I left school, I had about three months out of work,” he said. “It was terrible looking for apprenticeships, there was nothing much going. Then this came along.”

Like David, Jacob Hill, 18, is employed as a first-year electrical apprentice through the scheme.

Jacob is living away from home, and after a year of searching, this apprenticeship will finally guarantee him permanent work for the next four years. “I am definitely secured,” he said.

“At the end of it I will be a full time electrician. I want to go on to uni and become an electrical engineer.”

The scheme has also created two carpentry apprenticeships. David McDonald, 20, and Clint Von Deest, 17, have both known they wanted to be carpenters since they were at school. Clint has been looking for an apprenticeship for the past two years.

“I have been looking for an apprenticeship since grade 10, just nothing’s been out there,” he said.

“I know a lot of boys that have already got apprenticeships but there has been a lack of work. This is a great opportunity and after four years I guess I will be set.”

To be selected for the scheme the four young apprentices went through a number of interviews with the TORGAS recruitment division. TORGAS employs only the best apprentices, and the boys had to go through rigorous testing to make sure they met TORGAS standards.

TORGAS Field Officer, Damian Andrews, believes the Scheme will allow these apprentices to build strong careers.

“The electrical boys will be able to go out on their own, and the carpentry apprentices will possibly go on to things such as project management,” he said.

“This has given these boys a great opportunity. It’s definitely a career for them, something that they may not have been given otherwise.”

The four apprentices started work on Monday 15 June, and are working on Defence houses in Townsville. Apprentices will also be starting shortly in the ACT, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Darwin.

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