Bricklaying course in WA

[Terry1]

I've just noticed a short course in bricklaying at Bunbury on a website.The course is designed to address the "acute shortage"of tradesmen in the bricklaying game and is supported by Midland Bricks.

The course is held over 3 weeks duration and you are then supposed to be able to enter the industry as a "trowel hand",and earn around $170 a day.
I've just come back from Perth a couple of weeks ago after helping my nephew in his bricklaying business for a few weeks and found that the quality of tradework was in alot of cases very ordinary at best, and sometimes terrible, even if it was going to be rendered over.I don't think any of the blokes that he employed were properly qualified and he said that was typical.

I can't see how putting people through a three week course will help the already in crisis industry.I can understand how many people have fairly negative opinions of bricklayers (overpaid,underskilled, etc)but I think a fair dinkum trade qualified bricklayer is a skilled fellow and when put beside a labourer who threw away the shovel and picked up a trowel (normal path these days it seems)the difference is very obvious.Both my son and nephew did their time with me and my son went on to obtain the Clerk of Works and then his Building Licence.

I am also licenced to Build in NSW and Vic as also is my brother who builds up to 80 transportable homes a year as well as building in town also.(www.austwidehomes.com.au)

We all did bricklaying apprenticeships and have gone on from there after following the traditional pathway.
Anyway,I suppose I am just after other opinions really as mine is maybe a little bit biased towards the traditional way.Does anyone think that the three week course is a good idea?Personally I don't think you would learn to put a perp on a brick expertly in three weeks.
What do you think Al?

Regards Terry

[ozwinner]

Bricklaying course in WA, so where do you put the next course?

These 3 week courses are crap as Terry said, there is no way you could even learn the basics in 3 weeks.

Al