Edition 47, July 2007

Tenants flat out building five star house in Victoria

Six public housing tenants have recently finished building a unique flat-pack home in Victoria as part of the Public Tenant Employment Program.

The program offers opportunities for public tenants to obtain work and training through housing contracts, and since 2005 has employed almost 200 tenants, including 52 in traineeships and apprenticeships. Of those employed to date, a third are young people, another third speak English as a second language, and 25 are Aboriginals or Torres Strait Islanders.

Participants in the program were paid award wages and gained nationally accredited, certificate-level training, which is important given the national shortage of formally qualified construction tradespeople.

The design of the three-bedroom home (a $225,000 project) is unique, with a factory-made pre-cut steel framed floor, roof frame and wall panels. Prefabricated construction, with screw fastenings instead of nails, allowed the use of readily available unskilled workers.

It satisfies accommodation standards including a five-star energy rating and wheelchair adaptability, and will become a rental property.

For more information visit www.housing.vic.gov.au (Select 'Projects and initiatives' > 'Public Tenant Employment Program')

This page was generated on 26 August, 2009