NextGen Skills

What NextGen Skills does

NextGen Skills is a Western Australian vocational training and employment organization operating as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO #1892) and Group Training Organisation (GTO), focused exclusively on plumbing and painting trades. It is the largest trainer and employer of plumbing and painting apprentices in Western Australia, with more than 40 years of operating history, having rebranded from MPA Skills in January 2025. NextGen Skills is a subsidiary within the IntoWork Group, a non-profit registered charity founded in 1983 with approximately 2,600 staff across Australia and New Zealand.

The company's offering combines training and employment along a full lifecycle: school-based pre-apprenticeships (Try-A-Trade, Career Taster programs), full-time pre-apprenticeships for school leavers and career changers, four-year apprenticeships delivering Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420) and Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30620), and post-trade advanced courses (Plumbing Contractor's Licence, Painter's Registration Course, gasfitting certifications, high-risk safety training, and a new Migrant Plumbing bridging course). Under its GTO model, NextGen Skills directly employs apprentices and places them with host employers across commercial, residential, and industrial sectors, with pastoral and WHS support included. Delivery occurs across six Western Australian campuses: Welshpool (head office), Forrestfield, Joondalup, Bunbury, Northam, and Albany.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: government-funded training (Construction Training Fund and Department of Training and Workforce Development), GTO placement fees paid by host employers, fee-for-service advanced licensing courses billed to participants, and labour hire services. School-based pre-apprenticeships are fully funded by government, with half-price full-time pre-apprenticeships available under the WA Recovery Plan and Lower Fees, Local Skills Initiative. Eligible apprentices and host employers can access up to $134,000 in wage subsidies and $8,500 base payments through Jobs and Skills WA Employer Incentive Scheme. Customer segments span secondary school students, school leavers and career changers, licensed tradespeople seeking upskilling, and construction host employers. The go-to-market combines direct community engagement (school partnerships), enterprise field sales (host employer acquisition), and brand-building through industry awards (Plumbing Apprentice of the Year, Construction Apprentice of the Year, Innovation in Training Award).

Name

NextGen Skills

Legal name

NextGen Skills

Website

https://nextgenskills.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

NextGen Skills is the largest trainer and employer of plumbing and painting apprentices in Western Australia, operating as both an RTO and GTO across six campuses, and serving students, career changers, licensed tradespeople, and construction host employers through apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and labour-hire services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training & Apprenticeship Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Occupational Safety, OSHA & Workplace Compliance Training (EDAOAMAK)

Keywords

• Vocational training services
• Apprenticeship employment programs
• Trade education courses
• Group training organisation
• Labour hire services

Headquarters

HQ city

Welshpool

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funded Training: Training funded by Construction Training Fund (CTF) and Department of Training and Workforce Development. School-based pre-apprenticeships are fully funded.
2. Group Training Organisation Services: Employing apprentices and placing them with host employers for hands-on industry experience. Host employers pay for apprentices when actively working on-site.
3. Fee-for-Service Training: Advanced training courses for licensed tradespeople including PCL, PRC, and gasfitting courses charged to participants
4. Labour Hire: Providing skilled tradespeople to businesses on a contract basis

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NextGen Skills is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO #1892) and Group Training Organisation (GTO) providing vocational education, training, and employment services for the plumbing and painting trades in Western Australia. The company employs apprentices directly and places them with host employers, delivering programs ranging from school-based pre-apprenticeships and Try-A-Trade taster programs through Certificate III apprenticeships to advanced licensing courses (PCL, PRC, gasfitting). It also offers labour hire solutions and high-risk workplace safety training through partnerships.

Product overview

NextGen Skills operates as a unified platform combining vocational education and employment services for the plumbing and painting trades in Western Australia. The core offering consists of training programs (pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, and advanced licensing courses) delivered by their RTO, combined with an employment model where they act as a Group Training Organisation employing apprentices and placing them with host employers. Programs span from school-based pre-apprenticeships (Try-A-Trade, Career Taster) through full-time pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships (Certificate II and III qualifications), to advanced training for licensed tradespeople (Plumbing Contractor's Licence, Painter's Registration Course, gasfitting certifications). The organization also provides labour hire services and high-risk safety training through partnerships. All programs are funded or subsidized through government initiatives including the Construction Training Fund (CTF), Jobs and Skills WA, and the Lower Fees, Local Skills Initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School-Based Pre-Apprenticeships Fully funded pre-apprenticeship programs for students in Years 11 and 12, offering Certificate II qualifications in Plumbing (52887WA) and Building & Construction - Pathway Trades for Painting and Decorating and Wall and Ceiling Lining. Programs run one day per week during school terms and provide hands-on trade exposure and pathway entry into full apprenticeships.
• Try-A-Trade Program CTF-funded three-day program allowing secondary school students and prospective apprentices to try both plumbing and painting trades, led by experienced trainers for career exploration.
• Career Taster Program Short courses for secondary school students offering career exploration in trades including Careers in Hydrogen, Finishing Trades Experience, Mural Magic, power tool experience, and construction industry overview.
• Full-Time Pre-Apprenticeships Eleven-week full-time pre-apprenticeship programs for school leavers and career changers offering 52887WA Certificate II in Plumbing and 52893WA Certificate II in Building and Construction (Pathway - Trades) for painting. Half-price fees available under WA Recovery Plan and Lower Fees, Local Skills Initiative, with $500 CTF rebate eligibility after completion.
• Apprenticeship Training Plumbing and gasfitting, and painting and decorating apprenticeship training delivered as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO #1892) with over 40 years of experience. Apprenticeships lead to CPC32420 Certificate III in Plumbing and CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating.
• Advanced Training Courses Post-apprenticeship licensing courses for qualified tradespeople including Plumbing Contractor's Licence (PCL) issued through the Plumber's Licensing Board, Painter's Registration Course (PRC) issued through the Building Commission, and gasfitting courses (Certificate III in Gasfitting, Gas Servicing, Restricted Gas Permit, Gas License).
• High-Risk Training High-risk workplace safety courses including forklift licenses and advanced high-risk qualifications, delivered through partnership with Nara Training & Assessing for construction tradespeople.
• Labour Hire / Apprentice and Employment Services (AES) Hassle-free labour hire solutions providing skilled tradespeople for construction projects, including plumbing and painting, through the Group Training Organisation model. Supplies qualified tradespeople to businesses on a contract basis.
• 52915WA Course in Migrant Plumbing Specialized course for migrant plumbers trained outside Australia, addressing gaps in plumbing knowledge for the Australian context and Australian Standards compliance to enable qualification recognition.
• Group Training Organisation (GTO) Employment Model Group Training Organisation model where NextGen Skills directly employs apprentices and places them with host employers, providing flexible workforce solutions for businesses and offering apprentices wage-earning employment with dedicated field officer support and mentorship.

Quantifiable outcome

• $500 CTF rebate available for pre-apprenticeship completion
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• IntoWork GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNextGen Skills is proudly part of the IntoWork Group, a not-for-profit registered charity and leading provider of Employment, Skills, Education, and Support services. IntoWork was founded in 1983 and operates across five key domains: Apprenticeships/Traineeships, Education/training/development, Employment/recruitment, Transition/career guidance, and Community support programs. The Group employs 2600 staff across more than 200 locations across Australia and New Zealand.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MEGT: One of Australia's largest Group Training Organisations, MEGT employs apprentices and trainees and places them with host employers across multiple industries. Highly comparable business model and target customer base to NextGen Skills' GTO operations.
• Skill Hire: Sister company under the IntoWork Group led by the same CEO (Ben Dahlstrom); Skill Hire operates an identical Group Training Organisation model with apprenticeship employment services across Australia, providing the closest internal comparison to NextGen Skills.
• HIA Apprenticeships: Housing Industry Association's apprenticeship scheme delivers trade apprenticeships across Australian states, including plumbing and finishing trades, with a Group Training-style model targeting residential construction host employers.
• Apprenticeship Group Australia (AGA): Australian apprenticeship services provider offering Group Training Organisation functions across multiple trades. AGA is listed as a related entity on NextGen's website footer and operates a directly comparable apprenticeship employment model.

Broad incumbents

• Programmed: Major Australian workforce solutions provider with significant trade and construction labour hire and apprentice placement capability. Competes with NextGen's labour hire and GTO functions as part of a much broader staffing portfolio.
• MAX Solutions: National employment services and workforce development provider operating across apprenticeships, traineeships and recruitment. Provides GTO-style employment services that overlap with NextGen's core operating model.
• South Metropolitan TAFE: Western Australia's largest public VET provider offering subsidised plumbing, painting and other trade training in the same Perth and regional footprint where NextGen operates. Represents the dominant publicly-funded incumbent in NextGen's core categories.
• WorkPac: Large Australian labour hire and workforce solutions company with deep exposure to construction, mining and trades. Overlaps with NextGen's labour hire and skilled trades placement offering at a national scale.

Others

• Apprenticeship Support Australia: Government-funded national network providing advice, support and incentives for Australian Apprenticeships. Closely linked to the funding ecosystem that underpins NextGen's GTO and RTO operations.

Regional players

• Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association of WA: WA's peak plumbing industry body that runs industry-aligned training, licensing pathways and host employer connections for plumbing apprentices. Operates in the same regional plumbing training niche as NextGen Skills.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nextgenskillswa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NextGen Skills