NSW housing boom: TAFE training tomorrow’s tradies at Coffs Harbour

Young, hard working and ambitious. Meet the Class of 2022 at Coffs Harbour who will help plug the chronic shortage of tradies and tackle our housing crisis.

Some of the Certificate III carpentry students at TAFE NSW’s Coffs Harbour campus.

Coffs Harbour is playing a key role in finding a fix for the painful collision of a nationwide boom in home construction and a crippling shortage in tradies.

The answer-in-the-making is taking place at the TAFE NSW centre at the Coffs Harbour Education Campus on Hogbin Drive.

There, acting head teacher carpentry and construction, Robert Lyons, is showing his charges the skills of the trade.

And the stakes are high - a near gold-plated guarantee of work, and big dollars to be made.

“The trades are at a premium at the moment, and especially in our regional area,” Mr Lyons said.

150,000 new homes were built last year, and he said the forecast number of new builds in 2022 was 125,000.

“The demand is so big in the marketplace this year that the wait times for domestic construction have blown up,” Mr Lyons said.

To meet the need, the number of classes at Coffs has basically doubled - and it’s having a ripple effect right through the industry.

“A lot of tradesmen are taking on apprentices,” he said.

“I’ve had first year apprentices who I have trained now putting on their own apprentices.

“There is just so much growth.”

Those who go through the ranks at Coffs TAFE can virtually buy their own ticket.

“We get builders ringing us up asking if we’ve got any standouts (they could hire) in Cert II which is a taster in construction,” Mr Lyons said.

We caught up with some of the students in their second year of a Certificate III in carpentry at Coffs.

Todd Cameron, 30, of Grafton

“I was doing concreting before this and just wanted to get a trade behind me,” Mr Cameron said.

He’s already working for Adam Howell Builder, and encouraged young people to seize the opportunity.

“Just go for it because it’s only three years at TAFE and it’ll be over before you know it,” he said.

Hamish Bird, 25, of South West Rocks

With a background working in agriculture and construction, Mr Bird is now studying and on the tools for Reconstruct at Toormina.

“It’s a good mix - we do a lot of residential and insurance work,” he said.

“You get to learn about all of the areas of the industry.”

Jack Ireland, 24, of Macksville

Employed by Paul Newton Constructions, Mr Ireland said anyone in high school would do well to consider training for a career in the trades.

“Just be willing to have a go,” he said.

And a job on graduation is a lock.

“If you don’t (get work) then you’re doing something really wrong,” he said.

Pablo Kastner, 31, of Bellingen

Having already done a building course, Mr Kastner said he wanted to add to his skillset by studying carpentry.

Employed by LocalBuildCo, he sees the TAFE course as the pathway to reaching his goal.

“I want to be a builder and thought I’d do it now (the course) before I start a business or have kids,” he said.

Luke Beresford, 21, of Coffs Harbour

“I want to be a builder and run my own business one day,” said Mr Beresford, who has already linked with LocalBuildCo at Bellingen and Urunga.

He believes people can’t go wrong by gaining a trade given the surging demand.

“Hundred per cent - it’s unreal and doesn’t seem like it’s going to end,” Mr Beresford said.

“Just give it a shot because you meet a good bunch of blokes who will become lifelong friends - and it keeps you fit.”

Jordan Wilson, 27, of Nambucca Heads

Working with Green Homes at Bellingen, Mr Wilson is focused on building sustainable homes and using eco-materials.

“I plan to become a builder in the end making eco sustainable homes that will last,” Mr Wilson said.

Of the training, he said “if you put the effort in you just get rewarded”.