About Us

We are an Australian not-for-profit organisation helping young Australians build a career in bricklaying.

Vision & Mission
History
Our Staff
Funding
Member Companies
Board of Directors
Annual Reports
Smiling Bricklayer Apprentice

Our Mission

By promoting brick and blocklaying vacancies and career pathway opportunities we minimise the barriers to employment through generating job openings that will continue to build a solid future for the industry.

Our Vision

To fulfil the career aspirations of young Australians and job seekers, by providing employment opportunities in brick and blocklaying.

Meet Our Staff

Brick & Block Careers 4 pillars

To support our Vision and Mission, it is important that our business model remains agile and flexible in an ever-changing environment.

We aim to meet industry challenges and increased demands through a cohesive and organised business model which is focused on the following four pillars – Attract, Prepare, Place and Retain.

Our refined business model now reflects our strategic objectives and will drive a suite of operational activities which are focused on candidate care, the apprentice pipeline, filling vacancies, individual and team responsibilities.

ABBTF Four Pillars

Beneficiaries

• Youth - 15 to under 25 • Youth Unemployed • Youth Females • Unemployed • Youth Financially disadvantaged backgrounds • Youth in rural/regional communities • Retention of youth within the apprenticeship

Programs

• School programs, webinars and presentations

• Working with Job Actives

• Career expos

• Try a trade programs (short hands on skills program). Funded by Brick and Block Careers

• Role modelling beneficiaries through our Youth Ambassador programs

• Webinars and panel sessions to schools and job actives

• Marketing via social media, web advertising

• Brickstart incentive program to encourage job availability to beneficiaries

• $3000 subsidy to assist with apprenticeship training costs

• Apprentice retention programs - Retention calls and Welcome packs sent to apprentices and employers

	ABBTF

Our History

Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation Ltd (ABBTF) trading as Become a Bricklayer represents clay brick and concrete masonry manufacturers and was created to address the critical shortage of skilled bricklayers.

Victorian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation Ltd (VBBTF) was established in June 2003 following a request from the Clay Brick & Paver Association of Victoria, representing Brick and Block manufacturers, for a levy funded scheme to be put in place to address the shortage of competent bricklayers in Victoria.

In January 2006, the name was changed to Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation Ltd (ABBTF). A new Board was appointed, and the Victorian business model was rolled out to all States as ABBTF, starting with the consolidation of Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. In 2007 Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania were added to the group and operations commenced nationally.

ABBTF is governed by a Board of Directors who represent the Clay Brick and Block Manufacturers, Builders, a Registered Training Organisation, the Housing Industry Association and the Master Builders Association. The structure of the Board is to ensure all relevant parties in the building and construction industry are represented.

View Member Companies

Contact details of our staff members.

HEAD OFFICE

Unit 4, 42-46 Cochranes Road, Moorabbin, Vic 3189.

Michael Morrissey

Chief Executive Officer

Mobile: 0439 379 221

michael.m@brickandblock.org.au

Susan Johnsen

Executive Assistant

Mobile: 0425 337 710

sue.j@brickandblock.org.au

Ayesha Dadlani

Marketing and Communications Manager

Mobile: 0426 584 488

ayesha.d@brickandblock.org.au

Christine Stewart

Finance Officer

christine.s@brickandblock.org.au

Mai Nguyen

IT/CRM Support Officer

mai.n@brickandblock.org.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Elisha Walsh

Industry Engagement Officer

Mobile: 0477 207 272

Elisha.w@brickandblock.org.au

NATIONAL OPERATIONS

QUEENSLAND - SOUTH AUSTRALIA - NSW - ACT - VIC

Tony Bishop

General Manager

Mobile: 0400 120 055

tony.b@brickandblock.org.au

Keelee Fournel

Industry Engagement Officer

Phone: 047590 9040

keelee.f@brickandblock.org.au

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Suite 7, 125 Melville Parade Como, WA 6152

Dean Pearson

Manager – WA

Mobile: 0418 200 401

dean.p@brickandblock.org.au

Rebecca Moriconi

Industry Engagement Officer - WA

Mobile: 0475 202 270

rebecca.m@brickandblock.org.au

VICTORIA/TASMANIA

Unit 4, 42-46 Cochranes Road, Moorabbin, Vic 3189.

Josie Beven

Industry Engagement Officer – VIC

josie.b@brickandblock.org.au

NEW SOUTH WALES/AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Suite G.03, Ground Level, 2-4 Holden Street, ASHFIELD NSW 2131

Nadine McEwan

Industry Engagement Officer – NSW-ACT

Mobile: 0475 100 030

nadine.m@brickandblock.org.au

Amanda Wannous

Industry Support Officer – NSW-ACT

Mobile: 0475 100 510

amanda.w@brickandblock.org.au

ABBTF Member Companies

Victoria

Austral Bricks 132 742 www.australbricks.com.au
PGH Bricks & Pavers 131 579 www.pghbricks.com.au
Austral Masonry 1300 627 557 www.australmasonry.com.au
Adbri Masonry 1300 365 565 www.adbrimasonry.com.au

New South Wales

Austral Bricks 132 742 www.australbricks.com.au
PGH Bricks & Pavers 131 579 www.pghbricks.com.au
Austral Masonry 1300 627 667 www.australmasonry.com.au
Adbri Masonry 1300 365 565 www.adbrimasonry.com.au
Baines Masonry 02 4631 1383 www.bainesmasonry.com.au
Namoi Valley Brickworks 02 6742 0533 www.nvbrickworks.com.au

Australian Capital Territory

Austral Bricks 132 742 www.australbricks.com.au
PGH Bricks & Pavers 131 579 www.pghbricks.com.au
Austral Masonry 1300 627 667 www.australmasonry.com.au
Adbri Masonry 1300 365 565 www.adbrimasonry.com.au

Queensland

Austral Bricks 132 742 www.australbricks.com.au
PGH Bricks & Pavers 131 579 www.pghbricks.com.au
Austral Masonry 1300 627 667 www.australmasonry.com.au
Adbri Masonry 1300 365 565 www.adbrimasonry.com.au

Western Australia

Austral Bricks 132 742 www.australbricks.com.au
Brikmakers 1300 360 344 www.brikmakers.com
Midland Brick 13 15 40 www.midlandbrick.com.au

South Australia

Austral Bricks 132 742 www.australbricks.com.au
PGH Bricks & Pavers 131 579 www.pghbricks.com.au
Adbri Masonry 1300 365 565 www.adbrimasonry.com.au
Boral Masonry 08 8304 6999 www.boral.com.au

Tasmania

Austral Bricks 132 742 www.australbricks.com.au
Adbri Masonry 1300 365 565 www.adbrimasonry.com.au
Island Block & Paving 1800 004 499 www.islandblock.com.au

Board of Directors

The ABBTF Board represents a cross section of industry stakeholders and is responsible for overseeing the implementation of strategies to address the skill shortage in bricklaying.

Josie Sykes (Chair)

General Manager

Austral Bricks

Paul Hill (Deputy Chair)

General Manager Masonry

Adbri Masonry

Heath Hopwood

Executive General Manager

CSR Masonry & Insulation

Tim Murphy

Director

Fugen Group

Simon Croft

Executive Director Building Policy

Housing Industry Association (HIA)

Ian Pedley

Director

IRP Masonry

Ray Favetti

Executive Director

Favetti Group of Companies

Jarrod Sanfilippo

Group Managing Director

Burbank Group

Nik Babovic

General Manager Operations

TAFE Queensland

Michael Morrissey

Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Brick and Block Careers

Susan Johnsen

Executive Assistant | Company Secretary

Brick and Block Careers

Brick and Block Careers Annual Reports

The Australian Brick and Blocklaying Training Foundation provides annual reports to members, outlining our objective, strategies and performance highlights of the year. As an organisation committed to improving outcomes for brick suppliers, bricklayers, apprentices and others in the industry, we strive to keep improving industry and employment outcomes into the future. Our annual reports allow our members to see our achievements throughout the year, industry challenges, funding breakdowns and changes to the organisation.

Our members are important to us, and so we want to inform them of opportunities within the bricklaying industry for the future and our current initiatives. We encourage taking a look at the annual report each year to keep in touch with the industry at large.

Our operating results are also published annually, and they outline key metrics in the bricklaying industry. These metrics aide us in determining our vision for the future, where funding should go, and what initiatives we can bring forward to improve outcomes for our members and future apprentices.

From time to time, we conduct industry research reports to more accurately determine what employers and apprentices are looking for in different parts of the country. These reports include stories, surveys and suggestions from the ground to give more clarity to the statistics.

Annual Report 2022 – 2023

Annual Report 2021 – 2022

Annual Report 2020 – 2021

Annual Report 2019 – 2020

Annual Report 2018 – 2019

After older reports? Contact Us

Research Reports

Training bricklayers on the job has its challenges

Bricklaying Contractors Stepping Up – May 2013

Insights into Bricklaying Apprenticeships

National Report – July 2009

Barriers and Drivers for Bricklaying Apprenticeships

Barriers and Drivers Report – 1 July 2009

Innovative Practices in Bricklaying

Innovative Practices Report – 1 July 2009

National Bricklaying Apprenticeship Status Report

Status Report – 15 March 2009

ABBTF Funding

The ABBTF programs to address the skill shortage in bricklaying are funded by a small levy on the sale of clay bricks and concrete masonry and a matching contribution from brick and block manufacturers.

The levy represents $12 on the cost of an average house and $30 for double brick construction which is prominent in Western Australia.

Brick Levy Calculation:

Clay Bricks:
  • $1.50 per thousand bricks delivered
  • Applies to units not standard brick equivalents
Concrete Masonry:
  • 7.5 cents per square metre in the wall
  • Includes all fractions
Excludes:
  • Pavers
  • Landscape products
  • Clay special shapes
  • Export sales
  • Inter-company yard transferred
  • Sales to participating companies

Funds collected in each state are applied to programs to address the skill shortage in the state.

Note: In Western Australia double height clay bricks attract a levy of $3 per thousand and there is no levy on the sale of concrete masonry.

ACCC Authorisation Press Release

ACCC reauthorises brick levy to help with bricklayer shortage

3 July 2014

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has granted authorisation to the Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation (ABBTF), Think Brick Australia and the Concrete Masonry Association of Australia to continue to apply a small levy on the sale of clay brick and concrete masonry products.

The funds raised will support programmes to address shortages of trained bricklayers by promoting bricklaying apprenticeships to school leavers and bricklayers, and assisting apprentices to complete their training.

“The levy makes it easier for bricklayers to take on apprentices,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Jill Walker said.

“While the levy does add about $15 to the cost of building a house, this is more than offset by the benefit to consumers of reducing delays to construction caused by bricklayer shortages.”

Authorisation provides statutory protection from court action for conduct that might otherwise raise concerns under the competition provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. Broadly, the ACCC may grant an authorisation when it is satisfied that the public benefit from the conduct outweighs any public detriment.

Further information is available on the public register.

Release number:
MR 174/14
Media enquiries:
Media team – 1300 138 917

Official Media Release on the ACCC website.

Issued: 3rd July 2014

Relating register records

Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation Ltd

The ACCC’s determination application for revocation of A91133 & A91166 and Substitution with Authorisation A91418 is available from the ACCC website.