If you’re looking for work in the construction industry in Australia you will have heard the words “tickets” and “licenses” more often than not. Before commencing work on any project in the construction industry your employer needs to know that you have completed your induction training in the relevant areas, the qualifications that recognise such training are called tickets.

Why are tickets important?

Working in the construction industry is dangerous in general and requires a certain level of health and safety knowledge to avoid injury at work. Having your tickets means that you are trained in safe conduct around various elements of the worksite, or the machinery you are working with.

Mandatory tickets – White Card

If you’re new to the construction industry you may not have heard of a White Card before, but are quickly learning that every worksite or job you are looking at requires you to hold a valid one. A White Card is evidence that you have completed a General Construction Induction course; this is mandatory for anyone who wants to work in the construction industry.

So the first step to your job in the construction industry is to make sure that you have a valid White Card (and make sure you include this on your resume!). Not only are they mandatory but it lets your employer know that you have an understanding of how to control common hazards and risks on a construction site.

What tickets do I need?

If you’re new to the construction industry in Australia you may not be sure exactly what tickets you need in order to work, so we’re going to help you out and let you know some of the more common tickets here in Australia:

RIW Ticket – Rail Industry Worker is a national competency required for any person wanting to work within part of the rail industry, as it deals with potential hazards specific to the rail industry.

High risk work licenses – depending on the occupation you are in you may require a specific license that relates to your line of work; for example crane licenses or pressure equipment licenses. If you are unsure if you require a license for your occupation contact us and we will be able to tell you.

Working at heights tickets – this one is pretty self explanatory, if you are going to be working in a job that involves working at heights, you require a ticket to ensure that you are fully trained on the safety and risk aspects of this. There is also an Elevated Work Platforms Ticket (EWP).

Confined space entry tickets – again this one is pretty self-explanatory; if you have to work in confined spaces as part of your job you are likely to require a confined space entry ticket.

Asbestos removal tickets – we have covered in our asbestos in Australia blog about the dangers of working with asbestos, and the rules and regulations of working with asbestos reflect this. There are several different levels of ticket you can obtain for working with asbestos; asbestos awareness, removal of non-friable asbestos and supervise removal of asbestos.

Traffic control tickets – there are two distinct types of tickets for traffic control, the Blue Card and the Yellow Card. The traffic control Blue Card allows you to control traffic, whereas the Yellow Card allows you to plan and implement a traffic control plan.

Keeping Your Tickets Up to Date

It is vital that you keep your tickets up to date as without these you will be unable to work on most worksites across Australia. Keeping your tickets up to date means that you are always ready for work, and of course the more tickets that you have the more chance we have of placing you in work. Make sure that your resume is up to date with all of your tickets and licenses so your potential employer is aware before they even speak to you that you are ready to start work straight away.

Don’t forget

Often we forget that a license as simple as our driving license is also important. Employers often require a full valid driving license, so don’t forget to make sure that this is up to date and you have it ready to show when you need it! Include this on your resume as believe it or not not everybody has their driving license so this could be what works in your favour.

If you are new to the construction industry here in Sydney and aren’t sure what tickets you need then please contact one of our team today and they will be able to provide you advice and guidance. At BriX Projects labour hire we also offer training and can provide details for our courses that we run in order to help you obtain the skills you need to get your tickets. Contact us today for more information about our employee courses to help build your skills and chances of success.