Premier

Building A Better Future For Young Workers

16 August 2018

Victorian apprentices at a leading building services company are honing their skills and working on some of Victoria’s biggest projects.

Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll today joined Member for Bentleigh Nick Staikos at A.G. Coombs in Moorabbin to meet with some of the young workers from the company’s Apprenticeship Program.

As part of this initiative, A.G. Coombs has forged links with TAFE and registered training organisations so that their apprentices can learn trades like mechanical plumbing, refrigeration and drafting.

The company has also given its apprentices an opportunity to apply these skills on large projects such as the Rod Laver Arena and Melbourne Park redevelopments, and the New Bendigo and Monash Children’s hospitals.

A.G. Coombs is also investing in emerging design and construction technologies, including a project that used construction and IT technologies to develop a method to transfer valuable technical information from digital construction models to building owners and operators.

The Virtual Building Quality System project will help the company save time and money and deliver its services to a higher standard.

This project was helped by the Labor Government’s Future Industries Sector Growth Program, which offers projects that align with the state’s high growth sectors such as construction technologies.

Companies like A.G. Coombs are also benefiting from the Labor Government’s Local Jobs Firsts policies – mandating the use of local content and apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets on major projects.

The Labor Government has set local content requirements for 88 strategic projects and helped more than 1,200 apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets kickstart their careers through Major Project Skills Guarantee.

The Labor Government is also investing an additional $644 million to strengthen TAFE – address skills shortages and ensuring all Victorians can access the training they need to get a good job.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll

“Through Local Jobs First, we’re making sure local companies and workers get a fair go.”

“We’re giving apprentices right across Victoria the chance to start their careers on some of the state’s biggest projects – setting them up for the future.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney

“We’re backing TAFE so even more apprentices have the chance to find work on our major projects.”

Quote attributable to Member for Bentleigh Nick Staikos

“We’re making sure local companies, like Moorabbin based A.G. Coombs, share in our economic success.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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