Master Builders Association of Victoria has been named as a finalist for Victorian Small Training Provider of the Year in the 2016 Victorian State Training Awards. This is the first year Master Builders has competed for the award, heralding its innovation and effectiveness in vocational education training, which includes significant enhancements through simulation experiences.

“Master Builders Association of Victoria has distinguished itself as a leader in the delivery of vocational education, and the completion rate and student satisfaction rates bear that out,” Radley de Silva, CEO of Master Builders Association of Victoria, said.

Master Builders has seen an 86 per cent increase in regional training over the past three years. This includes offering training in 16 different locations and providing 1195 hours of one-on-one tutorials.

The prestigious award is presented annually to small providers who demonstrate outstanding delivery of training in skills central to the success of businesses capability growth, as well as individual career and employment outcomes. Master Builders is one of only three finalists in their category.

“Master Builders’ effectiveness comes from its broad-based approach to education, which includes not just instruction, but deep involvement in the building and construction industry, and ongoing research to determine the areas of greatest need in developing careers in our sector,” Mr de Silva said.

Enhancing vocational education training with immersive, real-life experiences is unique to Master Builders, and made possible through the development of the Building Leadership Simulation Centre (BLSC) in South Melbourne.

“Master Builders’ BLSC is a truly remarkable facility for Australian industry—one of only three in the world and the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere,” Mr de Silva said.

The BLSC allows Master Builders to educate in an unrivalled educational environment, with real-time scenarios that take place in industry-accurate state-of-the-art surroundings, including a 15-metre-wide parabolic projection screen and 12 site sheds that place students in the middle of the action.

“The ‘soft skills’ training, as part of the vocational education and training delivery, is central to the success of many businesses that rely on staff to navigate the murky waters of interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, diplomacy and creative problem solving,” Mr de Silva said.

The awards will be presented on Friday 26 August. If Master Builders is named the winner of its category it will go on to compete for the Australian Training Awards at the national level.