Building Western Australia’s Future Construction Workforce

The challenge

Western Australia’s building and construction industry faces ongoing workforce shortages across many trades. To help address this challenge, the Construction Training Fund (CTF) invests in initiatives that introduce young people to construction careers and support their pathway into apprenticeships and employment.

Two flagship programs form a critical part of this effort:

• Try-a-Trade, which gives secondary students hands-on exposure to construction trades.

• Construction Careers Scholarships, which provide fully funded pre-apprenticeship training, mentoring and employment readiness support.

CTF engaged Verian to evaluate both programs and determine whether they were delivering against industry needs, creating value for stakeholders, and contributing to a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers for Western Australia’s construction sector. The evaluation also sought to identify opportunities to strengthen future program delivery and demonstrate return on investment.

What we did

Verian designed and delivered a theory-based, mixed-methods evaluation framework to assess both programs against six key evaluation criteria: relevance, value proposition, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability.

Our approach combined:

• Analysis of program data and financial information.

• Surveys of 81 Try-a-Trade participants and 52 Construction Careers Scholarship participants.

• In-depth interviews with stakeholders including schools, training providers, industry representatives, mentors, students and CTF staff.

• Development of program logic models and evidence matrices to test outcomes and identify gaps in available data.

The evaluation examined both immediate participant outcomes and the broader contribution of the programs to workforce development across Western Australia’s construction industry.

Impact

The evaluation found strong evidence that both programs are successfully contributing to construction workforce development and are highly regarded by students, schools, industry and training providers.

Try-a-Trade

The evaluation found that Try-a-Trade is a highly effective early engagement program that introduces students to careers they may never otherwise consider. During the 2024-25 financial year, the program delivered:

• 249 workshops.

• Engagement with 137 schools.

• Participation by 3,146 students.

Student outcomes were particularly strong:

• 98% reported a positive experience.

• 85% said the program increased their interest in construction careers.

• 90% said it improved their understanding of career options.

• 91% felt more confident making career decisions after participation.

The evaluation concluded that the program delivers significant short-term return on investment by increasing awareness of trade careers, supporting less visible trades and encouraging further training pathways.

Construction Careers Scholarships

The Scholarship Program was found to provide substantial value by helping students transition successfully into apprenticeships and industry careers.

The program delivered:

• 240 scholarships.

• 23.5 pre-apprenticeship courses.

• Strong pathways into apprenticeships, with 51 apprenticeship entries recorded during the evaluation period.

Participants reported exceptionally positive outcomes:

• 100% enjoyed the program.

• 94% felt more prepared to enter an apprenticeship.

• 94% rated trainers highly.

• 97% positively rated study materials and resources.

Stakeholders consistently highlighted the program’s role in producing job-ready graduates and strengthening Western Australia’s future construction workforce.

Strategic value

Across both programs, Verian’s evaluation demonstrated:

• Strong alignment with current and emerging workforce needs.

• High levels of stakeholder support.

• Clear evidence of positive outcomes for participants.

• Efficient delivery models despite growing demand.

• Strong foundations for long-term sustainability.

The evaluation also identified opportunities to strengthen long-term outcome tracking and streamline administrative processes to support future growth.