27 October 2021
Young people are getting the chance to learn the creative and niche skills of the furnishings trades as part of a project to provide employment pathways into this important Western Australian industry.
- Training Council partners with North Metropolitan TAFE (NMTAFE) and industry to establish WA’s new Furnishings Trade Taster
- Trade Taster rolled out to year 9 Balcatta Senior High School students from 25th to 28th October
- Trade Taster also delivered to young people 15 – 24 years of age who are not engaged in education, training or employment from 15th November to the 25th November
- Cabinet Makers Association WA and WA Furniture Makers Association key industry partners
- Headspace, Department of Education (North Metropolitan Education Region) and Training Alliance Group key service provider partners
- Food, Fibre and Timber Industries Training Council lead organisation supporting industry to close skills gaps and fill labour shortages
- Partially funded by Construction Training Fund and to be evaluated by Curtin University (School of Management and Marketing)
- Furnishings Trade Taster project chosen for OECD Conference, Disrupted Futures: International lessons on how school can best equip students for their working lives
The Food, Fibre and Timber Industries Training Council, NMTAFE, Cabinet Makers Association and WA Furniture Makers Association, have joined forces to establish a new "Furnishings Trade Taster" in Western Australia.
The Furnishings Trade Tasters will be delivered to two groups of 15 young people over October and November 2021.
From 25-28 October, Year 9 students from Balcatta Senior High School will undertake four days of learning moving between NMTAFE and school sites – this project is partially funded by Construction Training Fund.
Young people who are not engaged in education, training or employment will be referred from Headspace, the Department of Education's Participation Team and Training Alliance Group to attend five days from 15-25 November at NMTAFE’s Balga campus.
The Furnishings Trade Taster includes young people making a piece of furniture, exposing them to the wood trades including cabinet making, furniture finishing, furniture making, wood machining and upholstery.
Young people will also meet with employers, undertake goal setting and pathway planning activities, employability workshops and go on live virtual excursions.
NMTAFE Head of Department Sue Egerton said “This opportunity to collaborate with industry bodies reiterates the need to work together to identify alternative pathways into employment as we continue to build a skilled workforce and respond to industry needs”.
Kay Gerard, CEO of Food, Fibre and Timber Industries Training Council, said “With the industry telling us of their labour and skill shortages, and how hard it is to fill positions, it’s vitally important that we do more to create pathways between school and industry”.
President of Cabinet Makers Association WA, Ugo De Laurentis, said it was a brilliant opportunity for young people to get an insight into the benefits of being in the Furnishings trades.
The School of Management and Marketing, Curtin University have partnered to evaluate both projects with the aim to improve career awareness of the furnishings trades and promote apprenticeships.
The Trade Taster supports WA small businesses and young people.
Interested in Furnishing trades? see our Furniture trades courses.
Photo: Year 9 students from Balcatta Senior High School are shown how to make a stool at North Metropolitan TAFE’s Balga campus.