Construction industry workforce planning

The Construction industry plays an integral role in contributing directly to the State's economic development and plays a critical role, through the provision of our infrastructure, in enabling most other industries to achieve their business goals.

Industry and government representatives came together to develop the Construction Industry Workforce Action Plan (CIWAP). An industry champion (Ms Mary Marsland) who was endorsed by the South Australian Construction Industry Forum chaired the Reference Group which oversighted the development of the CIWAP. The Construction Industry Forum which is a significant source and conduit for industry advice to the State Government and the Construction Industry Training Board were also represented on the group.

In addition State government agencies, which work closely with the Construction industry in South Australia, were also represented. These included: transport, energy and infrastructure, trade and economic development, regional affairs and housing. The Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology in its role as the lead agency for workforce development was represented on, and supported, the group developing the Workforce Action Plan.

Construction Industry Workforce Action Plan 2009 – 2014

The Construction Industry Workforce Action Plan (CIWAP) recommends a range of strategies for increasing participation in the development of the industry. It also provides a framework for a coordinated and comprehensive suite of strategies to address the issues facing the industry, and will form a critical component of the Training and Skills Commission’s five year plan for skills and workforce development Skills for Jobs (2009).

Construction Industry Workforce Action Plan 2009-2014 [PDF 498KB]

In the course of developing the CIWAP, the Reference Group has drawn on a range of resources including:

• An “environmental scan” that details a range of existing research, projects and programs that address workforce issues.
• The Construction Industry Workforce Profile, (based primarily on data from the 2006 Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] Population Census)
• The Monash Employment Growth Forecasts
• National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) reports
• Qualitative and quantitative research undertaken by the Construction Industry Training Board.

Some of these resources are available below.

Construction Industry Environmental Scan and Workforce Profile

Development of an environmental scan and a detailed workforce profile were the first steps in the Industry Workforce Action Planning process for the Construction industry.

Construction Industry Environmental Scan [DOC 132KB]

The workforce profile provides the basis for discussion about the construction workforce based on the following aspects of the construction industry in South Australia:

• General Construction Services which includes Building Construction and Non Building Construction.
• Construction Trade Services which includes Site Preparation Services, Building Structure Services, Installation Trade Services, Building Completion Services and Other Construction Services.
• Technical Services which includes Architectural Services, Surveying Services and Consultant Engineering Services.

Construction Industry Workforce Profile [DOC 410KB]

Along with the environmental scan, the profile provides an opportunity to develop a shared understanding about the construction industry workforce, based on data from 2006 ABS population census, Monash Employment Growth Forecasts, and National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

The contact point for this work is Helen Bowen, Senior Policy Officer, Workforce Planning and Policy Directorate of the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology.