“In return for the investment we make in our people’s development we enjoy the benefits of a large, dedicated and loyal workforce,” Matthew Clement, Fairbrother.

The Fairbrother Group is a respected name in the building and construction industry, employing over 400 people in a wide variety of roles throughout Tasmania and rural Victoria. Founded in 1973, a commitment to quality and excellence has seen the company develop into a leader in the Tasmanian building industry.

With a track record for excellence, Fairbrother is an Employer of Choice within Tasmania, and in 2007, the company was presented with The Minister’s Award for Excellence in recognition of its development of trade apprentices, who are all trained by TAFE Tasmania.

Fairbrother Human Resource Manager, Matthew Clement, believes people are the company’s greatest asset.

“The Fairbrother name is synonymous with quality, and that is largely a reflection of the capability of our people.

“As our people are our greatest asset, it follows that they deserve the best personal and professional development available,” Mr Clement said.

From trade apprenticeships to leadership development, Fairbrother is actively engaged in training on almost every working day of the year. TAFE Tasmania guides all Fairbrother’s apprentices through their training, in the areas of Carpentry & Joinery, Cabinet-making, Plumbing Electrotechnology and Metal Fabrication to name a few.

Fairbrother tradespeople also receive training from TAFE Tasmania in a broad range of technical competencies such as confined spaces, forklift operation and employee safety.

TAFE Tasmania has also implemented Fairbrother’s innovative ‘Building Leaders’ program.

“The Building Leaders program provides leadership development and managerial skills training to a broad range of participants from apprentices to directors of the Fairbrother Board.

“It is a training initiative that supports the company’s growth into the future and helps to shape a positive culture which encourages professional and personal development,” Mr Clement said.

Fairbrother recognises that its success is a reflection of the emphasis it places on training its people.

“In return for the investment we make in our people’s development, and the trust that we place in them, we enjoy the benefits of a large, dedicated and loyal workforce.

“From a recruitment perspective, offering first class training and development is often the key differentiating factor when recruiting from a shrinking labour market,” Mr Clement said.

Fairbrother has a single point of contact within TAFE Tasmania to negotiate with the organisation to find out exactly what they require and tailor a training package which is directly aligned to their needs.

“Our single point of contact means we have a personal relationship with TAFE. They negotiate with us to provide solutions to our training problems and to identify our future training needs.

“It helps us to adapt to future challenges.”

“As an Employer of Choice, our peoples’ personal and professional development is very important to us,” Mr Clement said.