ALAND unveils scholarships for TAFE NSW students
In an effort to boost the number of young people entering the construction industry leading Sydney developer ALAND has introduced a scholarship and mentoring program for TAFE NSW students.
Under the program ALAND will meet the full tuition fees of students enrolled in the Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) course – saving each student $12,040 in tuition fees alone.
As part of the scholarship ALAND will also arrange a work placement for TAFE NSW students at its Strathfield headquarters and building sites across Sydney, plus mentoring by senior company staff.
Earlier this month the inaugural ALAND scholarships were awarded to Jacob Tannous, 16, John Finianos, 18 and Johnny Dang, 26, who are currently studying at TAFE NSW campuses across Western Sydney.
ALAND Chief Executive Officer George Tadrosse, a passionate advocate of the industry, says he would like to encourage many more young Australians to pursue a rewarding career in construction.
“As everyone knows, Australia is facing a chronic skills shortage in the building sector,” he said.
“These scholarships alone will not fill that gap, but we are hopefully sending the right signal to young people who might be considering a future career in construction.”
Mr Tadrosse says recruiting enough skilled workers was an ongoing challenge for every building company in Australia, including ALAND, and that the issue had to be confronted as a matter of urgency.
“By nurturing new talent we’re not just helping to meet industry needs but shaping a diverse and skilled future workforce for Australia,” he said.
According to Infrastructure Australia, an additional 229,000 construction workers are needed if the country is going to meet the Federal Government’s target of building 1.2 million new homes by 2029.
TAFE Scholarship winners will receive 100% of their course fees, mentoring by ALAND staff, paid work experience with the company, plus a pathway to future employment with ALAND.
Scholarship recipients are selected based on their commitment to furthering their education and their passion for construction – as well as the personal qualities they will bring to the ALAND team.
The Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) is available at TAFE NSW campuses across the and can be completed as a full-time course over one year, or as part-time course completed over two years.
ALAND Director Andrew Hrsto, who founded the company over 20 years ago, expressed his personal support for the new ALAND TAFE NSW scholarship program.
“I am both honoured and delighted by the opportunity to share all the exciting facets of the industry with the next generation,” he said.
“I really hope that these ALAND scholarships will ignite the curiosity of young people across Sydney about the construction sector and help them achieve all of their personal career goals.”