Certificate III in Concreting

The CPC30320 covers concreting across residential, commercial and civil work. Core units include setting out slabs and footings, constructing formwork, placing reinforcing steel, pouring and screeding concrete, finishing flat surfaces, and applying decorative finishes such as exposed aggregate and stencil work. You learn to read structural drawings, work to AS 3600 concrete structures standards, and operate plant including power screeds, trowel machines and concrete saws. Across the three-year apprenticeship you build the timing and finishing accuracy that separates competent concreters from labourers.

Most apprentices attend TAFE on day release or in one-week blocks each term. Around 480 hours of TAFE contact across the three years is typical. The work is fully hands-on in workshop and on site, with a smaller theory component on materials, mix design and safety. The trade is weather and pour-time driven, so early starts and long days are normal during a pour.

The apprenticeship is a three-year paid workplace contract under the Australian Apprenticeships framework. You sign a Training Contract with a concreting subcontractor or builder. Apprentice wages are set under the Building and Construction General On-Site Award and rise each year. Concreting work is pour-driven, so early starts (often before sunrise) and long days are normal. Many concreters move onto piece-rate or contract-rate pay after qualifying.

After completing the apprenticeship many concreters pursue Certificate IV in Building and Construction (CPC40120) toward a builder licence, the Diploma of Building and Construction (CPC50220) for supervisor work, or Certificate IV in Civil Construction Supervision (RII40720) for civil projects. Specialist tickets include concrete pump operator (Class C2 or larger), tilt-up rigging and shotcrete spraying.