News - Aspirant migrant skills assessment initiative a runaway success

Winning a tender to undertake bricklaying skills assessment in the UK has placed the South West Regional College of TAFE at the forefront of trades skills assessment for aspirant migrants.   This initiative will actively contribute to the amelioration of the skills shortages currently being experienced in Australia and provide migrants with a passport to employment in their adopted country. These migrants bring to Australia not only their bricklaying skills but also other specialist building competencies such as stone masonry and carpentry which will be invaluable to the vibrant local construction industry. Current bricklaying qualifications from the UK are not recognised in Australia and the assessment programme facilitates a process whereby skills can be assessed to Australian qualification standards.  Based on a technical interview and a practical project successful students gain a Certificate III in Bricklaying issued by the South West Regional College of TAFE and can then apply for their trade certification. In collaboration with VETASSESS and Victoria University, Peter Gossi from the Faculty of Building, Construction and Furnishing spearheaded this overseas skills assessment when he visited the Accrington and Rosedale College in Lancashire piloting the bricklaying skills assessment programme.  Based on the success of the initiative Peter was joined by colleague, Mark Baker, who in April assessed an additional 54 aspirant migrants in the UK.   This process is set to be repeated in July both in Lancashire and in North West London where an additional 157 bricklayers will be assessed and where staff will be joined by a third member of the assessment team, Troy Webb.

Reports issued by VETASSESS subsequent to the assessment taking place indicated that staff from the South West Regional College of TAFE had undertaken the assessment to a high standard with particular commendation for their efficiency in producing results.  This was of significant importance given that many of the aspirant migrants were facing a 45 year cut off limit and needed to have their skills assessment promptly prior to being locked out of the process on the grounds of age.

The success of this project has opened the way for similar skills assessment programmes to occur in other overseas destinations including India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and South Africa.

Whilst in the United Kingdom, assessors used the facilities of the Accrington and Rosedale College and were impressed with the support of College personnel as well as the commitment and determination of the students.

 “The staff at the Accrington and Rosedale College were extremely helpful and extended every assistance to us which made them a pleasure to work with,” said Peter Gossi. 

“Many of the students travelled for hours to reach the assessment venue and, for some, it was a ‘make-or-break’ situation where their migration was dependent on them obtaining a successful evaluation of their skills and abilities,” he said.

Supporting these comments, Mark Baker added, “It was a fantastic experience to work at another College and share information with them about the assessment process.”

Many of the students assessed indicated that they would be seeking to settle in different parts of Australia where the lifestyle and opportunities for their children presented attractive incentives for them to settle in this country.