Fifteen Western Sydney high school students arrived at Master Builders’ Education Centre in early June with little idea of what a career in construction might look like. Eight of them left with practical skills, a certificate, and a foothold in one of the country’s most stretched industries. 

The Head Start Program ran across nine days of immersion activities held between the 1st and 11th of June, bringing students from three different schools in the Cumberland LGA into the Master Builders Education Centre at Norwest. Most arrived restless. Some arrived sceptical. By the time the program finished, the trainers saw a different group of young men, more confident, more focused, and ready to take the next step in their careers. 

Why it matters 

NSW employs more building and construction workers than any other state in Australia, with more than 421,000 people on the books as of May 2024 (MBA Australia Workforce Report, 2024). Building and construction apprentices already make up a third of all apprentices in the country (MBA Australia Construct Your Career, 2025), yet new commencements have fallen sharply, dropping 22 per cent in a single year. With 1.2 million new homes targeted under the National Housing Accord and workforce supply still in critical shortage, the pressure to bring more young people into the trades is high. Programs that put students inside the workshop and get their hands on the tools are how that pipeline gets built. 

Immersion days at Norwest 

Aimed at students from Years 10 to 12, the program was structured around four pillars, practical construction skills, work health and safety, a resume and interview workshop, and a series of presentations from industry professionals. Students moved through scissor lift training, safe use of power tools, and the Da Vinci bridge build, a hands-on activity where competing teams race to assemble a self-supporting timber bridge from nine pieces of timber. The Master Builders NSW recruitment team also conducted mock interview training sessions with each student, modelling the kind of questions builders and managers ask when hiring. The students also had an opportunity to talk to Master Builders NSW Field Officer Jose Le Roy about how to succeed in an apprenticeship. 

A Work health and safety presentation was delivered by Master Builders NSW trainer Graham Stewart, who brought more than 20 years of industry experience to the room. 

“Health and safety messaging is reinforced right from the outset. The body part with the highest rate of injury is hands, followed by arms, legs and ankles, so we make sure our young people know the risks and how to mitigate them. Correct training is key.” 

Faces from the industry 

The presentations showed students a part of the industry that brochures cannot. Ben Diaz, Senior Site Manager at Mirvac, walked them through his career from finishing his HSC, starting as an apprentice carpenter on residential builds, learning from his mistakes, to now running some of Mirvac’s largest projects with more than 350 people on site. Mark Gousev, CEO of the Association of Wall and Ceiling Industries NSW opened their thinking to trades beyond the better-known carpentry, plumbing and electrical pathways, with practical advice on what employers look for in an apprentice and the role attitude plays in landing a job. Noah Kassab, a 21-year-old MBA carpentry apprentice now in his second year with ADCO Constructions, gave them the closest reference point, a peer just a few years ahead of them on the same path. 

“It is incredibly humbling to play a role in delivering these programs to high school students,” said Eddy Hazem, GTO Manager at Master Builders Apprenticeship Services. “The outcomes that we see mean more than just skills on a certificate. Our programs instil confidence in young people and prepare them for their future careers in the industry. I truly believe that this industry will remain strong and resilient with the next generation, and preparing more people increases their employability in the industry.”

Ready for the tools 

Of the 15 students who started the program, 8 successfully completed the training. They walked out with practical skills, safety knowledge, and three units of competency counting toward a Certificate III in Civil Construction, which they can carry directly into a school-based apprenticeship, a full apprenticeship, or a traineeship. They arrived as high school students. They left as young men with a clearer sense of where they could be in five years. 

Master Builders NSW worked closely with Head Teacher Careers Angie Sisala from the NSW Education Pathways Program to bring the cohort together, and that partnership will shape how future intakes run. 

Eight graduates are now looking for their first start in the trade. Any builder or carpenter with projects in the Cumberland LGA or Sydney’s inner west who is open to taking on an apprentice should get in touch with Master Builders Apprenticeship Services on 02 8586 3533.