M A S T E R B U I L D E R S A S S O C I A T I O N O F N S W J A N U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 5

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CAMS – THREE YEARS ONGovernment projects and programs manager Omesh Jethwani highlights the successful implementation of the CAMS program and its milestone achievements in the last three years.

In May 2012, the Commonwealth agreed

to fund the Construction Apprenticeship

Mentoring Scheme (CAMS).

CAMS is a comprehensive, nationally

coordinated approach to supporting

apprentices, and trainees in the building

and construction industry. It integrated an

online engagement strategy with access

to one-on-one mentoring support, and an

innovative approach to supporting ‘out-of-

trade’ apprentices.

The primary objective of the project is to

increase the apprenticeship completion rate to

62 per cent, per annum over the initial three-

year period. A secondary objective of the

project is to increase significantly the number

of employers who report apprentices are

well-prepared for a career in the building and

construction industry.

The CAMS project is a nationally coordinated

approach to supporting apprentices in the

building and construction industry, delivered

through Master Builders’ network of 33 offices

around Australia including major regional centres.

“Study anyone who’s great, and you’ll find that they apprenticed to a master, or several masters. Therefore, if you want to achieve greatness, renown and superlative success, you must apprentice to a master” – Robert Allen

What have we achieved?

• CAMS NSW team has trained 60 volunteer

mentors (53 male mentors and seven

female mentors) to work with industry

apprentices and trainees. The mentors

are from a diverse work background,

ranging from construction managers,

project managers, business owners,

training managers, safety officers and

apprenticeship officers.

• The mentors undertook an intense two-

day training course around apprenticeships

and traineeships, how to deal with

Generation Y, suicide prevention and

Aboriginal cultural awareness training and

anti-bullying workshop.

• CAMS NSW has over a 90 per cent

completion of the 273 apprentices and

trainees, which were signed onto the

program. These apprentices and trainees

either have completed and gone onto

become tradespeople, or have completed

a full-year in the program. From now and

to the end of June 2015, 36 mentees will

continue to be mentored.

• Through the funding, CAMS NSW was

able to assist ‘out-of-trade’ apprentices

and trainees by upskilling them with

training, and then help placing them back

into employment. CAMS NSW worked

with Master Builders Association of NSW

Apprenticeship Services, as well as the

broader industry to successfully place 37

Left to right: Government projects & programs manager Omesh Jethwani and apprenticeship mentoring officer Jack Long

M A S T E R B U I L D E R S A S S O C I A T I O N O F N S W J A N U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 5

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‘out-of-trade’ apprentices and trainees.

• As of February 2015, CAMS NSW has

attended 81 career expos with over 28,000

trade flyers, career pathway flyers handed

out to 1700 high schools for distribution to

students, from years nine to 12.

• 25 careers trade flyers, career pathway

flyer, a Jump Start career booklet, a

business start up kit booklet and 15

factsheets were developed under the

CAMS program.

• CAMS NSW has delivered PowerPoint

presentations at 49 high schools, which

have been attended by 580 non-VET and

VET students from years nine to 12.

• Posters to promote careers in the

building industry were distributed to over

200 high schools.

• CAMS NSW developed ALink NSW, an

online resource (www.alinknsw.org.au)

that aims to communicate opportunities to

apprentices and trainees and particularly

provide information on career pathways in

the building and construction industry.

• On 20 February 2014 Master Builders

NSW presented CAMS and ALINK

programs at the Investing Of Women

Program, at the NSW Council for Women’s

Economic Opportunity, chaired by the

Honourable Pru Goward, MP – Minister for

Planning and Women.

• On 19 March 2014, Master Builders

commenced a project co-branded with

Franklyn Scholar to deliver the Apprentice

to Business Owner (AtoB) program for 10

apprentices (Sydney metropolitan) who

have completed their trade certificate.

Furthermore, a CAMS Mentor will provide

12 months of mentoring to students.

• On 11 April 2014, Master Builders NSW

partnered with Glenwood High School to

volunteer and mentor in the Handyman

Project for 11 disengaged students from

years nine and 10, who had expressed

interest in an apprenticeship in construction.

The project was selected on its ability to

complete work in a practical setting.

• On 17 July 2014, Master Builders NSW

partnered with the Babana Aboriginal

Men’s Group to support Alexandria Park

Community School NAIDOC Celebrations.

Over 1000 students and adults attended

the event to celebrate the occasion.

Master Builders NSW raised $300 along

with $600 contributed from Babana to

award four students (two from junior and

two from senior) for their outstanding

school performance.

• On 18 September 2014, Master Builders

NSW partnered with Yarn’n Aboriginal

Employment Services and Hospitality

Training Network (HTN) to support the

Putland Education Training Unit (ETU) /

Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre Careers

Expo.

• As of February 2015, CAMS NSW has

delivered 57 powerpoint presentations

on CAMS and ALINK at several NSW

TAFE sites to 1119 TAFE students in the

residential, commercial and civil industry

sectors. Some of the advice provided were

information on CAMS program, benefits of

mentoring, awards, wages, government

incentives, suspension, payslips, bullying

on site, training contract, apprenticeship

terms and conditions, career pathway and

mental and health topics.

• Approximately 2000 apprentices and

trainees, who are prospective future

members, have signed on to a free

membership for the duration of their

apprenticeship and traineeship. These

apprentices and trainees have the luxury

to shop online in the comfort of their own

living room due to suppliers coming on

board to offer discounted rates on tools,

cars, insurance and much more.

• Furthermore ALink NSW also offers

parents and careers advisers a one-stop-

shop website that provides all information

in relation to the building trades, school-

based apprenticeships and traineeships,

pre-apprenticeship courses and career

paths in the building industry.

• Master Builders NSW has partnered with

Saint Yon Trade Training Centre, McCarthy

Catholic College Trade Training Centre

and Southern Cross Catholic Vocational

College to provide mentoring to 37

school-based apprentices and to provide

advice to future students on careers in the

building industry.

Several articles were published in Master

Builder Magazine:

• Skill Shortages in the NSW Building

Industry

• Becoming a Great Mentor

• The Importance of Workplace Mentors

• Hiring a Female Apprentice

• Female Tradies in the Building Industry

• The Handyman Project

• CAMS NSW Co-Host an Apprenticeship

Evening

• Working with Aboriginal People and

Communities

• CAMS NSW Supports the Cohbam

Juvenile Justice Centre Career Expo

What people are saying about

accountability

In November 2013, industry liaison manager

Nicola Pegum from the Saint Yon Trade Training

Centre commented, “These partnership

collaborative activities have resulted in the

following organisational and community benefits:

• Increased enrolments in construction

• Increased enrolments in students

wishing to complete a school-based

apprenticeship in Certificate III in carpentry

• Better completion rates with students

being supported with industry mentors

• Guidance with work and life issues and

better links to industry

• Quality career advice and networking

opportunities within the industry

The Saint Yon Trade Training Centre is proud

to be an industry partner of the NSW Master

Builders Association.”

Industry liaison officer Patrick Carroll from

McCarthy Catholic College Trade Training

Centre said the following in November

2013, “We are endeavouring to continue

the relationship that we have forged with

the NSW Master Builders Association and

the CAMS program, as it has benefitted the

apprentices in the following ways:

• Gives students access to people with real

industry experience

• Guidance with work and life issues

• Better links to the industry

• Quality career advices and networking

opportunities within the industry

• Guidance with industrial issues and their

industry award”

CAMS is implemented by Master Builders

around Australia with funding assistance

from the Department Of Industry, Innovation,

Science, Research and Tertiary Education

Under The Apprenticeship Mentoring Program.