Housing may have cooled across the rest of Queensland, but it’s full steam ahead for the Wide Bay region’s residential building.
Wide Bay was one of the only regions across the state to have recorded an upturn in residential approvals over the past 12 months – 8% higher than this time last year.
$1.7B in construction activity is forecast for the next 12 months, more than half of that is in residential activity.
Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) was in Bundaberg and Hervey Bay this week urging businesses and workers to tap into $1.2M in training funding to help boost workers to cope with the ongoing demand.
While the peak of the housing boom has washed through other parts of the state, major infrastructure and the new renewables boom mean there has been no break for the busy sector.
CSQ CEO Brett Schimming said Wide Bay construction would continue to operate under pressure as it works to deliver large projects like the New Bundaberg Hospital and Queensland Train Manufacturing Program alongside the healthy housing pipeline.
“The Wide Bay’s house building activity is certainly bucking the state trend – residential development approvals are up 8% from this time last year; although this does represent somewhat of a recovery,” Mr Schimming said.
“CSQ estimates that the Wide Bay will have over $1.7B worth of construction underway in the region over the next 12 months,” he said.
Mr Schimming said ongoing training and upskilling is going to be a critical lifeline to the busy construction industry.
“CSQ is putting the call out to trade and site workers, and sub-contractors, to add to your skill set, get new work tickets and take advantage of this opportunity.”
Mr Schimming said CSQ had already recorded an increase in demand for training in the Wide Bay region.
“CSQ has registered an increase in local training enrolments, and we’ve seen strong growth in employment of construction apprentices.
“There are currently 1170 apprentices employed across the Wide Bay region – that’s a 11% increase from last year.
“CSQ funded training is available for individuals and businesses of all sizes – from small mum and dad trade operators, to huge workforces working on major projects,” Mr Schimming said.
CSQ funding covers most and often all the costs of eligible training for workers and businesses in the construction industry.
