Tasmania’s ‘High-Vis Army’ program is expanding to include electricians and plumbers, as the state prepares for a $30 billion infrastructure boom over the next decade.
The training program, which launched in 2023 in partnership with the building and construction sector, has already engaged more than 3,000 participants.
Now, it’s broadening its scope by incorporating key industry bodies including the Master Plumbers Association, National Electrical Contractors Association, Master Builders, Housing Industry Tasmania and the Civil Contractors Federation.
“Tasmania’s a great place to be a trainee,” Skills and Training Minister Felix Ellis said.
“We’ve got some enormous opportunities ahead of us and we just have to look at incredible projects like the Bridgewater Bridge or upgrades to the Mersey Hospital.”
“There’s the opportunity to build the state where you grew up. That’s a phenomenal, phenomenal thing to say that you’ve done.”
The program’s impact is already evident through success stories like Jett Murfet, a 17-year-old first-year apprentice with Barwick Developments.
Working through Master Builders, Murfet credits the program for smoothing his entry into the industry.
“I first put in my resume in July last year and ended up getting some work experience in October … and they ended up really liking me, which is good,” he said.
The $6 million expansion over the next three years will address critical skills shortages by encouraging more Tasmanians to pursue trades and apprenticeships, Ellis said, ensuring the state has the skilled workforce needed to deliver its infrastructure pipeline.
