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Up to 6,000 tradies will get free qualifications under a $78m federal scheme designed to tackle construction skills shortages.

Workers with at least three years’ experience will have their prior learning recognised, and they will then be given “gap training” to reach their qualification, fast-tracking the process.

The skills and training minister, Andrew Giles, said the program would “back in workers who have the right skills for the job, but need that extra help to get the formal qualification they need”:

double quotation mark This program recognises the expertise they’ve already developed and helps them gain nationally recognised qualifications faster.

For a long time industry and skills stakeholders have called for greater recognition of existing skills and alternative pathways to formal trade qualifications – our government has listened and is taking action.