The Homes NSW Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Cadetship Program is an $80 million initiative delivered in partnership with Housing Industry Association (HIA), Master Builders Association of NSW (MBA) and Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) NSW and supported by TAFE NSW. It is being implemented over 4 years to May 2025.
Improving education and employment outcomes
Participants get access to paid, on-the-job training and pathways to employment in social housing property and tenancy management and construction trades. Housing construction trades include, but are not limited to:
- carpentry
- cabinetmaking
- electrotechnology (electrician)
- painting and decorating
- kitchen & bathroom design
- business
The program also helps address a growing skilled workforce shortage. It promotes diversity in the workforce and contributes to building more homes in the social housing system in NSW.
Everyone is eligible to apply
The program accepts a broad range of participants with a focus on people who have experiences of social disadvantage and/or face barriers to entering the workforce, such as:
- people who live in social housing
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- women
- young people (15-24 years old)
- mature-aged (35+ years old)
- people with a disability.
Through the program, Homes NSW continues to collaborate with industry to boost the housing sector workforce and deliver:
- 100 new social homes built in partnership with TAFE NSW, providing opportunity for pre-apprentices to try a trade.
- 100 paid cadetships (12 months) with mainstream or Aboriginal community housing providers while completing a Certificate IV in Housing.
- 200 paid apprenticeships or traineeships (3-4 years) with host building industry employers while completing a Certificate II, III or IV in building-related trades.
How to apply?
Apprenticeships and traineeships
Applicants can register expressions of interest via the Housing Industry Association or the Master Builders Association websites.
Cadetship
Applications for the 2024 Cadetships have closed.
Visit the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) NSW website for more information.
A pathway to success
The program is achieving high retention rates and strong diversity outcomes for Aboriginal people, people aged over 35 and women. The program is seeing long-term unemployed women returning to full-time work and gaining housing security.
As of February 2024:
Success Stories
Case study: Apprenticeship
Micaiah is a 21 year old Bricklaying apprentice who lives in the small regional community of Uralla. Micaiah has always had trouble with spelling, reading and math, along with speech problems. He receives extra support at TAFE and attends block release in Newcastle by catching the XPT. He is committed to his success, to save money for a car and to get a driver's licence. "My apprenticeship is the best thing that has happened for me - everyone is so proud and I am proud of myself".
Case study: Cadet
At the last CHIA graduation, a cadet graduate shared... 'when I first started the cadetship it was the first attempt at studying and doing something for myself since becoming a young mum 16 years earlier and only having low education from dropping out of school early. I've lived in social housing and found the cadetship gave me a chance to express lived experience and openly talk about issues, learn communication skills, gain knowledge, and opened my eyes to areas I didn't acknowledge, great skills like valuating and prioritising things in life".
View the latest graduation ceremony video for our Cadetship Program.
You can download and read more about the program's success in our Stage 1 Evaluation Report (PDF, 1.2 MB)
For more information
Please contact Homes NSW - Portfolio Strategy and Origination Division via email:
HomesNSW-HP-PortfolioStrategyandOrigination@dcj.nsw.gov.au