School students and career seekers

CSQ runs Try’a Trade through high schools to raise awareness of careers options in construction. Each year a selection of schools are invited to send students to attend an interactive program that lets attendees try their hand at various skill and trade areas.

During the day, students receive instruction from trainers before having a go at a range of trades, for example, carpentry, plumbing, painting, electrical, plastering, tiling or bricklaying. Students also gain invaluable career advice from apprentices, local employers and industry representatives.

Try’a Trade participants get to taste-test whether a job in construction might suit them. It can be extremely helpful in a student’s decision-making process.

There is a range of technical jobs in the construction industry beyond traditional trades, called paraprofessional roles. Paraprofessional roles such as architectural drafting, civil engineering, estimating and surveying are crucial to the construction industry and can offer an exciting and rewarding career.

CSQ runs Try’a Skill through high schools to raise awareness of these paraprofessional options. Each year, Try’a Skill partner schools are invited to send selected students to attend the program and explore whether a paraprofessional job might be a good fit for them.

Try’a Skill events generally take place on a construction site, mimicking the blended working environment of most paraprofessionals; who work both in an office and in the field.