WA training hours shortfall in new CPC training

[Kenneth Cooper]

Western Australian stonemasonry apprentices may experience a down size in training hours allocation for the delivery of the new CPC 32308 training package. The training hours have been reduced from 760hrs to 560hrs.
Stonemasonry apprentices and employers please respond.
Do you feel that this reduction in hours will have a positive effect on your training?
Do you feel that this reduction in hours will deliver nationally consistent training?
Will this reduction in hours disadvantage Western Australian stonemason apprentices?
Is this reduction in hours a further dilution of trade training?
Is this reduction in hours fair?

Please post your thoughts.
Thanks and regards,
Kenneth Cooper

[Robert Cusworth]

i can't see any positive effect if we are getting less hours, just means we don't learn as much.
if it was to deliver nationally consistent training then every AUS state would have the same hours.
the reduction will disadvantage WEST AUS, we will get less time to learn even less topics
then EAST states, the government should fund every state equally.

[Morgan Tumath]

This reduction of hours for WA apprentices is a joke. There is no way that this change would benefit anyone, WA tradies are shocking enough, less training hours isnt going to fix it. Another great plan from the WA Government to make as much money as possible in the shortest amount of time possible because they wont be around for the overall results of this. hopefully dont want a marble fireplace or granite kitchen down the track because they wont be built like they used to if it continues like this. Morgan Tumath

[jordan finnie]

1. no because we lose time to learn extra things
2. no because were losing more hours
3. yes, because WA apprentices are not getting the amount of time they need
4. not sure
5. not really because why should WA apprentices get less time than other Apprentices

[Steven Ridings]

200 makes a difference in how much apprentices can be taught. with the 200 hours cut we will be rushing from one topic to another without being able to have a good understanding of what we're being taught. this will create a generation of west australian stonemasons who are less educated about the but have the same qualification as those in the eastern states. allthough most of the training is done in the apprentices workplace, tafe is still important to learn about other aspects of the trade aswell as infomation on stone, trade history ect. there a a hundred things the government could have cut back before disadvantaging wa apprentices

[lyndon joshua]

i think the cutting of hours is stupid because im currently doing a three and a half year course and every time i go to tafe i learn something different and cutting 5 weeks off a course will result in people finishing thier apprenticeships and having different qualifications and skills in the trade to others then they would have a disadvantage as a tradesman.

[justin nelson]

i believe we need a consistent level of training through out australia, otherwise west australian apprentices will be unfairly disadvantaged. The increase and use of technology in products and services call for more education and training not a reduction in training hours.

[Scott Drummond - Hay]

Do you feel that this reduction in hours will have a positive effect on your training?

No, the reduction of training hours WILL have a adverse negative impact in stonemasonry and the future of stonemasonry training and education.

Do you feel that this reduction in hours will deliver nationally consistent training?

Yes, although the typical hours between states and territories already differentiates, reducing the total hours( due to limited funding i presume), Will deliver inconsistancy on a national level.Quite alot like the current Schooling education system OBT!

Will this reduction in hours disadvantage Western Australian stonemason apprentices?

Yes, future Stonemasons will be disadvantaged, with employers left to pick up where the apprentices are incompentent, costing buisnesses and adversely effecting West Australian Stonemasonry as a whole. A reduction in training hours will disadvantage all West Australian Stonemasons, as it would any other group or training based scheme.Reduction is not the key!

Is this reduction in hours a further dilution of trade training?

Yes, in a already diverse trade, further reductions and reduced training will reduce niche skills and create a less rounded group of future stonemasons.

If this reduction in hours fair?

NO,
On curent masons, employers, consumers and on a national basis it is not fair to have reduced training in any trade subject period.
Less budgeting and
MORE TRAINING NOT LESS for our future!

[michael lynchy]

i dont see any posotive effect in reducting 200 hours. we will not be learning as much and probably not getting a good undrstanding on all the topics we do why? becuse there is not enough hours.

[Luke Ferullo]

1. No because apprentices will miss out learning on certain things.
2. No because other states training hours are more so they will learn more therefore being better off than WA aprrentices.
3. Yes WA stonemasons will be behind other stonemasons in Australia because they havent had the same training.
4. Not to sure maybe 760 hours is too much. They might have gone through the course and removed some of the things they think are not neccessary for apprentices to do.
5. No because other states and have more time to learn different things and new apprentices coming through will not learn the skills they otherwise would be getting.

[Simon Brown]

It looks like the stonemasonry program has been short-changed as a result of under-bidding for your slice of the user choice program. This is a state issue even though the funding is distributed by the Commonwealth. I suggest you lobby the officials who are resposible to the bidding process - access the link to the Payment Table via this page: http://www.det.wa.edu.au/tra/detcms/training-resource-allocation/tr... (contact details fior DET staff are linked from on the same page)

[Jake Doherty]

look its not right how can we have less hours then a plaster who has over 700 hours and our field is alot bigger with more skills and knowledge to learn plain and simple

[David James Duncan]

How can the reduction of course hours have a positive effect? There is already spectulation within the industry that current stonemasons are undertrained, and the solution to this is reducing the amount of training? Give me a break!!! To suggest that our employers take over some responsibility for our training is obsurd when you consider how many of them are not stonemasons themselves!!! Speak up people and put a stop to incompetent stonemasons!!