For the first time, the skills of Australian roadworkers will be formally recognised thanks to a new qualification developed by the Australian Flexible Pavement Association (AfPA) and approved by the National Skills Commission.

The new 11-part qualification industry skills card will support better career development for workers and attract more people into a sector that is facing a skills shortage at a time of unprecedented demand from infrastructure projects and repairs to roads damaged by recent weather events.

Under the new skills card, Australia’s roads are set to become safer and more skilfully built than ever through a set of specially designed part qualifications introduced under the national qualification RII30920 Certificate III in Civil Construction – Bituminous Surfacing, designed to improve the nation’s workforce and road building skills.

AfPA sought to introduce the qualifications on the rationale that the bituminous surfacing industry is a specialist trade skill set that ensures the safety of the travelling public and protects the government’s most valuable asset – its roads.

Additionally, AfPA has developed the foundation of the industry skills card which is transferrable and recognises prior experience and the academies of each organisation. In partnership with industry stakeholders, this scheme will identify, train, and provide each worker with a qualification on a skill set basis.

“Simply put, those who deliver the nation’s highest order roads should possess qualifications specific to this industry to ensure quality, safety, long-term durability, performance, and workforce sustainability,” AfPA executive director of knowledge and partnerships Tanja Conners says.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to deliver this industry-first set of qualifications and want to thank the National Skills Commission for their assistance as we look to provide confidence to procurers and promote attraction and retention of talent to the industry.”