Tradie Shortage Threatens Targets

Tradie Shortage Threatens Targets

Australia cannot overcome its housing shortage problems without thousands of more skilled tradespeople.

According to the Housing Industry Association (HIA), there is an 83,000 shortage of skilled workers across the residential construction industry.

It warns without a massive increase in the workforce the housing crisis will continue.

HIA Managing Director Jocelyn Martin says every housing target ultimately depends on having enough qualified people to do the work.

“Tradies build our homes, maintain our communities and help Australians recover after natural disasters, yet the industry is facing significant workforce shortages at a time when demand for housing continues to grow,” she says.

The residential building sector is competing for workers with major infrastructure, renewable energy, technology and digital economy projects.

The HIA says the lack of skilled workers is a major constraint on residential construction, slowing the delivery of new homes, increasing construction costs and making improvements to housing affordability more difficult.

Martin says Australia must increase the number of people entering trades, improve apprenticeship completion rates and support the businesses that are training new workers.

“The solution is not moving workers from one sector to another. It is increasing the number of skilled people entering and completing trade careers,” she says.