Brick and Block Careers

28/09/2026

The 2026 International World Skills Competition in China has now concluded with our very own Jason Seiler from Australia achieving a very impressive Medallion of Excellence, finishing in the top 10 of a field of around 24. This is an astonishing outcome for the boy from Gosnells WA, who dropped out of school at the age of 14. This young man has pushed his endurance and skills development to the absolute limit of human capability, far beyond anyone that I have ever met in 38 years of industry. It is impossible to formulate how many hours he has sacrificed for the training required to compete at this level, however what I do know, is that he passed up multiple opportunities for personal advancement and financial gain in the local market. He has earnt the respect of our industry and the admiration from like minded people from all around the world for his dogged determination to succeed. Jason will now start to wind down now and enjoy the remainder of his time over there before coming back to Australia and perhaps building your next home. Our apprenticeship system is still the best way to develop the essential skills young men and women need to move this country forward for quality construction. The industry is still in good hands. Please join me in congratulating young Jason and thanking the wonderful people around him that have helped him on this journey, especially Andrew (Tiger) Hoskings, Wayne Sutherland, James McGuire and the good people at Midland Brick.



Brick Australia

15/09/2026

✨🧱Spotlight on Success: George Furniss 🧱✨

At just 17 years old and in his first year of a bricklaying apprenticeship, George is already making a massive impression. His employer, David at DJP Developments, calls him “GOLD”—a simple but powerful reflection of George’s hard work, positive attitude, reliability, and genuine willingness to learn.

George is proof of what happens when young people are given the right opportunities, support, and encouragement. He’s not just learning a trade; he’s building valuable skills, confidence, and a strong foundation for his future. 🚀

We need more young people like George entering the industry—eager to learn, willing to work hard, and ready to make their mark.

Keep up the great work, George. Your future is looking incredibly bright! 🌟

10/09/2026

Construction Skills Queensland - CSQ

10/09/2026

🧱 Welcome to the team, Jaxon! 🧱

We're stoked to welcome Jaxon as the newest apprentice to join the ABBTF family! Jaxon has kicked things off in style, starting his apprenticeship with host employer Keller Masonry and Scaffolding - and by the look of that fully loaded Bunnings starter kit, he's ready to hit the ground running. 🛠️
A huge thank you to Keller Masonry and Scaffolding for backing our apprentices and giving Jaxon the opportunity to learn on the tools with an experienced crew. This is exactly the kind of partnership that keeps the bricklaying and blocklaying trade strong across Victoria. Wishing Jaxon all the best as he begins this journey 👷‍♂️

01/09/2026

With the Regional WorldSkills Australia competitions in full swing around the country, South Regional TAFE Bunbury hosted their event last week as well. Whilst this was not a big group, the quality was there in both the Apprentice and VETis categories. Historically this TAFE have produced some of the best bricklaying Apprentices in the West, reflected in the build quality of homes in that region and general bricklaying standards. A big thankyou to Mark Baker senior bricklaying lecturer for running the event, which was supported by Nathan King from north Metro TAFE. Also a shout out to major sponsor Midland Brick for their ongoing support, especially with material for these competitions in the West. ABN Group also supplied a couple of lads to help out on the floor, which was also appreciated. Results for Perth and the SW will be released very shortly, possibly this week. Well done to all that competed.

12/08/2026

11/08/2026

Last week, our VIC team had the pleasure of visiting the Melton City Council Youth Centre to introduce young adults to an exciting career pathways in brick and blocklaying.
The weekly program supports young people to build essential life skills, develop job readiness and strengthen their employability, alongside their dedicated Youth Development & Support Officer.
We were proud to share insights into the opportunities available within the construction industry and inspire the next generation to consider a career in the trades!

10/08/2026

On Saturday night Claudia and I attended the annual Skill Hire Apprentice Awards at the Burswood Casino. As on ongoing sponsor and supporter of the this event, we where absolutely blown away when we won an award ourselves, namely for Industry Collaboration. Thankyou very much to Skill Hire as it was a fantastic night and a great chance to not only catch up with some great industry people but also be recognized for our partnership and efforts. Many thanks

04/08/2026

A big congratulations to ABN Bricklaying Apprentice Sabit Maper for winning, Best 1st Year Apprentice, at the recent HIA Awards held last Friday night. He also recently helped us out at the Skills West Expo on the Brick and Block Careers stand, sharing his experiences with hundreds of young boys and girls.

Sabit is a fine young man that sets the benchmark very high for determination, skills development and reliability. Seen here with our very own Claudia Micicoi presenting, we are very proud to be ongoing sponsors of this great event.

Well done Sabit, ABN and the HIA.

04/08/2026

We attended the Wesbuilders Expo again this year at Burswood, partnering with our primary manufacturer here in the west, namely Midland Brick. This expo brings small and medium builders together across the state to talk to suppliers, manufacturers, and industry service providers, as to connect with each other (around 250+).

Great to chat to some of the greats of industry that have been around since Adam was a boy and still going strong. Many are now bringing their sons and daughters into their companies.

Lots of discussions on trades and trade sustainability through training! It also gave us a chance to showcase the great results that we achieved for our state this financial year just gone for industry.

Great expo Wesbuilders, WA is in great shape!