The Sunshine Coast is gearing up for billions of dollars in construction and infrastructure work, but local builders and trades say a skilled worker shortage is tightening across the region.
Dynamic Masonry owner and operator Daniel Dole said demand for bricklaying remains strong, but finding enough workers has become the main constraint. He said the shortfall runs beyond qualified tradespeople and includes laborers and apprentices, leaving his business in the position of turning down jobs it does not have the crew size to staff.
The pressure is expected to grow as the Sunshine Coast population rises and major projects move forward ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The pipeline includes initiatives such as The Wave public transport network, the Mooloolah River Interchange, a Sunshine Coast Stadium upgrade, new housing infrastructure, and a construction-focused TAFE Centre of Excellence planned at Caloundra.
Construction Skills Queensland estimates the Sunshine Coast represents 14.7% of the value of Queensland’s Games venue and village pipeline. Games-related construction labor demand on the Coast is expected to increase from about 150 workers in 2026 to 1,600 in 2030-31 for venues and villages alone, separate from the wider transport, health, housing, and private development workload.
Master Builders’ regional manager for the Sunshine Coast, Nicola Scott, said the workforce shortage is the biggest issue for the industry and that Queensland needs about 19,000 additional workers entering the sector each year to deliver a $119 billion pipeline of work and new housing. Housing Industry Association Queensland executive director Mike Roberts said the shortage is strengthening tradespeople’s bargaining power and contributing to higher housing costs.
For mason contractors and bricklaying crews, the takeaway is simple: when workforce availability drives schedules, labor planning becomes a front-end task. That means lining up apprenticeship pathways early, building relationships with training providers, and bidding work with realistic crew projections, especially when multiple megaprojects pull from the same local talent pool.
TAFE Queensland said construction, plumbing, and electrical trades had 14,672 apprentices in training as of April 30, 2026, representing 57% of all apprentices in training across Queensland. The organization also pointed to programs such as free apprenticeships for under 25s, free construction apprenticeships for over 25s, TAFE at School, and career-start programs as part of the workforce response.
Read the full, original article from Sunshine Coast News here.