Site visit: Building Leadership Pathway Program students
The [Building Leadership Pathway Program](https://buildersacademy.edu.au/baa-building-leadership-pathway-program/) combines the [CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Construction](https://buildersacademy.edu.au/course/certificate-iv-in-building-construction/) with the [CPC50220 Diploma of Building and Construction](https://buildersacademy.edu.au/course/diploma-of-building-construction/) and provides a pathway for direct entry with credit into a number of courses at Victoria University.
Keen to find out more about how our students participating in the pathway are going, we went along to a Simonds Homes worksite in Clyde North to chat with a group of current students and our trainers leading the program.
When we arrived, the Building Leadership students were hard at it with Training Manager Damian Tolson and Senior Trainer Alex Kubsch, learning about the early stages of the construction process: the foundations.
Training Manager Damian told us more about the pathway. He’s always passionate about the students who study with BAA: “The Building Leadership Pathway has been designed for those students who would like to progress further.”
“They come from somewhere other than a trade pathway and, ultimately, they want to go into higher education. The pathway gives them the foundational skills and knowledge that will lead them there,” said Damian.
We also got to chat with a few of the students. They told us about their backgrounds in building and construction, how the program is going and their hopes for their careers.
“My name us Ruben Gutu and I’m 19 years old. With the knowledge I get from the course, I’ll be able to get my builders licence and start building my own houses and running my own company.”
Stefan, 20 years old: “I’ve worked a bit as a carpentry labourer, and this is the next step to getting my builders licence.”
Stefan is looking to use the pathway to get into higher education. “After this course, I’d like to get into university and study a Bachelor in Building and Construction – and hopefully, after that, become a registered builder,” Stefan said.
Nikola, 17 years old: “I finished my pre-apprenticeship in carpentry, and this is the next step up. I want to open my own business when I’m older and work as a builder.”
Justice, 32 years old: “I would love to be a registered builder. That is my main goal: to be able to build houses and start up my own business.”
Damian, with more info: “The pathway is for people who have expressed an interest to work in building and construction. We take those students and we offer them what really is a full-time experience for the duration of their time with us.”
“The program has been designed so that students will complete their Certificate IV in Building and Construction and Diploma of Building and Construction with us. That will give them the requisite skills to move into the higher education space. We have a partnership with Victoria University, so if they transition across to VU after they’ve finished with us, they get significant credits towards the bachelor degrees they want to go on and study.”
“In the industry, we’re seeing more and more that we need a mix of practical skills and knowledge as well as consolidated learning. Through the Cert IV and the Diploma, students really are getting those foundational skills that take them through from residential construction to the commercial environment. It really does set them up. It’s a great opportunity to get some practical, on-site experience they might not get otherwise.”
“The pathway is ideal for school leavers who are looking for a more practical foundation before moving to higher education.”
Above is Senior Trainer Alex with his charges. He told us: “It’s a really great program. We teach them the academic side and then we transition them out onto site, where they can actually see what they are learning – that really contextualises it all.”
Damian: “Whatever direction students decide to go in the building and construction sector, we’ve given them the foundational skills that set them up to take that next step.”
Alex wrapped up our visit nicely, telling us his hopes for the current batch of students who’ve taken on the program: ”I hope they go on and become the best they can be. They’ll be the next builders that come through for the next generation. The students who come into this program are going to be the leaders, the future builders of the industry.”
Thanks for having us!
Want to take the next step in your career and become a future leader in building and construction? Contact our team at 1300 LEGEND (1300 534 363), read more about the pathway on our blog or fill out our enquiry form on our contact page and we will get back to you with all the information you need.
