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Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

CPC10126 Certificate I in Construction

Who is this course for?

This course is your entry point into the construction industry,
giving you a broad taste of trade skills and the practical grounding employers
look for before taking on an apprentice. It suits people who have decided
construction is the industry for them and want to build genuine, job-ready
skills quickly.

It’s best suited to applicants aged 17+ who have completed Year
12 (or equivalent), with a sound standard of numeracy and literacy (a C grade
or above in Maths and English is recommended). You’ll need a level of physical
fitness to handle tools, equipment and materials outdoors for extended periods,
and reliable transport to get to campus. All applicants complete a short
interview so we can make sure the course is the right fit for where you’re at.

Skills and Knowledge You Will Gain

This qualification provides an introduction to the construction industry and equips students with the practical skills, safety knowledge, and workplace awareness required to begin a trade career. By completing this course, learners will develop:

  • Safety and Workplace Practices
    • White Card training: preparing to work safely in the construction industry
    • Applying WHS requirements, policies and procedures
    • Safe use of hand and power tools
    • Handling construction materials safely
  • Trade Fundamentals
    • Basic levelling procedures
    • Undertaking basic estimation and costing
    • Reading and interpreting plans and specifications
    • Completing a basic construction project from start to finish
  • Workplace Communication and Organisation
    • Effective workplace communication skills
    • Planning and organising work tasks
    • Working effectively and sustainably in a team environment

Through hands-on learning and applied practice, students gain realistic entry-level experience in the construction sector

Essential Information

  • Campus delivery in fully equipped workshops
  • Mobile phone friendly theory modules
  • Trainer led classrooms with hands-on practical tasks
  • Free daily bus transfer to and from Varsity Station

Get Started

Take the next step now.

Fees, Funding & Subsidies
Submit your application
Course Factsheet

Course Overview

This program is designed as a fast-tracked pathway into a construction trade for people who are genuinely ready to enter the workforce. It suits school leavers and adults who have decided on a trade career and want to build the practical skills and confidence to show an employer they’re ready to hit the ground running.

To get the most from the course, and to be considered for a place, applicants should:

  • be committed to pursuing a career in the construction industry, with a clear intention to seek an apprenticeship or employment on completion
  • be aged 15 years or over (in line with funding eligibility); applicants aged 17+ who have completed Year 12 will generally be best suited to the pace and demands of the course
  • hold a minimum of a Year 10 School education (or equivalent), with a sound standard of numeracy and literacy (a C grade or above in Maths and English is recommended)
  • have reliable transport to attend campus and, where relevant, work placement or site visits
  • have a level of physical fitness to handle tools, equipment and materials, and work outdoors for extended periods
  • be able to commit to the full course duration and time commitment, including any additional time required

All applicants complete a short interview as part of the enrolment process, so we can make sure the course is the right fit. Younger applicants or those still exploring their career options are welcome to apply — where the course isn’t the best fit, we’re happy to point you toward other GCTC or Workforce Australia programs with more support built in.

11 units of competency:

8 core units
3 elective units

CPCCCM1011 Undertake basic estimation and costing
CPCCCM2004 Handle construction materials
CPCCCM2005 Use construction tools and equipment
CPCCWHS2001 Apply WHS requirements, policies and procedures in the construction industry
CPCCOM1012 Work effectively and sustainably in the construction industry
CPCCOM1013 Plan and organise work
CPCCVE1011 Undertake a basic construction project
CPCCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry
CPCCOM1014 Conduct workplace communication
CPCCOM2001 Read and interpret plans and specifications
CPCCCM2006 Apply basic levelling procedures

Our next programs are available at our Burleigh Heads Campus on the following dates:

  • 14th September 2026 (3 weeks full-time) + 5 Mondays 
  • 23rd November 2026 (4 weeks full-time )
  • 7th December 2026 ( 2 weeks from 7th December to 18th December + 2 weeks from the 11th January to the 22nd January)
  • 11th January 2027 (3 weeks full-time) + 5 Mondays

Courses are delivered in one of two formats:

  • 4 weeks full-time, or
  • 3 weeks full-time, followed by one full day each Monday for the next 5 weeks

Courses generally commence during school holiday periods.

Fee For Service:

$2500

For more information about course subsidy and eligibility, please refer to the Course Factsheet and the Fees, Funding and Subsidies tab

Pathways

The Certificate I in Construction is an entry-level qualification. While it does not qualify a person to work as a tradesperson, it provides a solid foundation of industry skills. Possible outcomes include:

  • Trade assistant or labourer (under supervision)
  • Pathway into apprenticeships across building and construction trades (e.g. carpentry, concreting, bricklaying, plastering)
  • Better preparation for work placements or school-based traineeships in construction

Study Pathways

After successfully completing this qualification, students may:

  • Progress into CPC20220 Certificate II in Construction Pathways, which builds on trade-specific skills.
  • Gain direct entry into a Certificate III trade apprenticeship in areas such as Carpentry, Concreting, Bricklaying, or Wall and Floor Tiling.
  • Continue to further vocational education in other construction or civil trades.
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