BuildSkills Australia’s national Breakfast with BuildSkills series concluded on Friday 6 March in Brisbane, bringing to a close a comprehensive program of engagement held across every state and territory. The Brisbane event drew together attendees from across Queensland’s building and construction, property and water industries, as well as the VET sector, providing a fitting finale to a series designed to collect jurisdiction‑specific workforce insights and strengthen national dialogue on skills, training and industry capability.
The audience was joined by the Hon. Amanda Stoker, Assistant Minister for Trade, Employment and Training, who delivered the morning’s keynote address. Minister Stoker spoke to the depth and diversity of Queensland’s built environment sectors and emphasised the importance of a skilled and adaptable workforce to support the state’s growth. She highlighted Queensland’s unique operating environment, its expanding project pipeline, and the government’s commitment to ensuring training pathways and workforce development settings remain responsive to industry need.
A panel discussion facilitated by Robert Sobyra, BuildSkills Australia’s General Manager – Research and Strategy, brought together Paul Bidwell (Chief Executive Officer, Master Builders Queensland), Andrew Chapman (Chief Executive Officer, Queensland Major Contractors Association), Angelo Lambrinos (Chief Executive Officer and Commissioner, Queensland Building and Construction Commission) and Kaz Harris‑Brown (Executive Director of Special Projects, TAFE Queensland SkillsTech). Their conversation explored the key issues shaping the state’s labour market, including productivity challenges, labour supply pressures, and ongoing skills shortages. The panel also reflected on the increasing relevance of modern methods of construction and discussed potential policy approaches that could help industry meet rising demand.
BuildSkills Australia Chief Executive Officer Brett Schimming addressed attendees and highlighted the state‑based priorities emerging from the engagement series. Reflecting on the significance of holding the final event on the eve of International Women’s Day, he emphasised the importance of gender equity as a national and industry priority, and the role of inclusive workplaces in strengthening participation and retention. Brett also spoke to Queensland’s major infrastructure program, including preparations for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the need for coordinated planning to ensure the state is well positioned to meet future skills requirements.
Brett also took the opportunity to reflect on the success of the national series, noting that “across eight cities, we’ve many voices from industry, training, unions and government. The consistency and clarity of what stakeholders shared with us shows just how valuable these conversations are. The insights gathered through this series will directly shape our national workforce planning and help ensure the training system stays aligned with the real needs of industry. The strength of engagement we’ve seen speaks to the commitment across all jurisdictions to work together on the challenges ahead.”
The Brisbane event reinforced the value of locally informed workforce insights and completed a full national circuit that included Hobart, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Canberra and Darwin. Each breakfast contributed to a growing evidence base that will support BuildSkills Australia’s ongoing engagement with government, industry and training providers. The insights gathered throughout the series will help shape future work in workforce planning, industry intelligence and vocational education and training system reform, ensuring the needs and perspectives of all jurisdictions inform national strategy.
