Our Passion & Commitment is About Making a Difference in the Lives of our Youth in WA.
Train and Retain will work closely with you to develop a bespoke apprentice and trainee management and mentoring program. Using our tried and tested programs can help you achieve above average apprentice and trainee completion and retention rates with great success.
Our dedicated team have had experience and success over the years in the following fields:
- Recruitment and placement of Apprentices and Trainees with many companies across WA with excellent completion and retention rates.
- Developing and working on prisoner release programs – getting former apprentices back into work to complete their trades whilst on work release.
- Developing and working on programs with job-active providers to help get the unemployed youth and recently released former offenders into apprenticeships and traineeships.
- Working alongside TAFE and RTO’S (Registered Training Organisations) providers to help engage potential apprentices.
Management & Mentoring Programs
Our service has a strong focus on helping young people to understand what is expected in the workplace and aims to help them to develop the skills, attitudes and behaviours expected by employers and keep them in their role.
If you want to increase your retention rates, lower employee turnover, and keep your apprentices on the job, Train & Retain Mentoring and Management services is proven to work.
Having a Mentor as a sounding board is often all an apprentice needs to ask the right questions and talk openly in a supportive and confidential environment.
WA Apprentice of the Year
Achievements
We love getting involved in the many different yearly Apprentice Awards that take place in WA and are proud of being part of several Apprentices making the shortlist to attend the finals. Without a doubt the highlight for Director of Train & Retain, Steve Thomas was the 2019 WA Training Awards.
Whilst working for another organisation Steve played a huge role in the success of his former Mature Age Carpentry & Joiner Apprentice Anthony Di Cristofaro making the finals at Crown Towers and then going one better and taking home the title for WA Apprentice of the year.
An enormously proud Anthony and Steve are pictured above at the award ceremony.
Steve was nominated by Mates in Construction for ‘Mates Helping Mates’ Leadership Annual Awards in 2019. Where he was recognised for his efforts in promoting positive mental health outcomes in the West Australian Construction Industry.
He has undertaken M.I.C training in Asist, Connector and General Awareness and is a big ambassador in promoting the importance for Apprentices and Trainees to be involved with this available training.
Construction workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than an accident at work. For our young workers, the facts are that they are well over two times more likely to take their own lives than other young Australian men.
Mental health also plays an especially important role with apprentices and trainees and we are incredibly lucky to be working closely with Mates in Construction and their wonderful team of Field Officers and Case Managers.
We will arrange and co-ordinate with M.I.C the General Awareness Training, Connector and Asist courses not only for your Apprentices and Trainees but also for your whole workforce if required
Meet the Team
Steve Thomas - Director
With over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry, Steve brings a wealth of knowledge to the company and knows what it takes to succeed as a former Apprentice of the Year himself whilst undertaking his Bricklaying Apprenticeship.
Steve has successfully trained, mentored, and managed many apprentices and trainees throughout his career within his own bricklaying company and whilst working for group training organisations as a Field Officer, Apprentice Consultant and as an Apprentice Manager.
Nominated by Mates in Construction for “Mates Helping Mates” Annual Awards 2019, Steve takes the health, safety and wellbeing of all in his care to high levels which is testament to his ongoing relationships and success rates with different companies and their apprenticeship and traineeship programmes.
Steve’s passion is mentor, manage, and train the next generations of trades men and women, with a strong focus about leadership and organisational culture.
Testimonials
Steve Thomas was employed by the group apprenticeship Company that provided apprentices to Salini Australia Pty Ltd on Forrestfield Airport Link Project. For a period of around 4 years Steve assisted in the management and development of our Project placed apprentices. During this time the Company found Steve to be very professional and knowledgeable in providing the assistance to our Company personnel. The success and completion rates of all the Apprentices Steve have put onto the Project was impressive as was the retention and success rate of apprentices converting to trade personnel.
Steve uses his diverse construction industry experience and knowledge to ensure that hosts, apprentices and trainees gain the best possible training experience leading to positive outcomes. He fully understands the needs of the host and their working environment and does his utmost to place only the most suitable candidate for the position. Steve takes a friendly but no-nonsense approach with all apprentices and trainees, his real-world approach matches the industry environment and prepares candidates for the work environment. Well done Steve.
Steve was my acting field officer during a portion of my apprenticeship. Steve was easy to liaise with and empathetic to not only myself but other apprentices during my time. Steve has a great nature and a great role model to young to be tradesmen.
Steve Thomas was not only my field officer/apprentice manager but also my mentor and friend for my Carpentry and Joinery apprenticeship. Throughout my entire apprenticeship Steve always had my best interests at heart ensuring I was exposed to all parts of essential training and experience as well as ensuring my personal well-being and mental health. Any challenges/problems along the way (and there were a couple of serious ones) Steve worked endlessly to resolve them as best as possible and could always be relied on. All apprentices need a Steve Thomas looking after them. Thanks for everything Steve.
Steve is very, very good at what he does. Steve knows what it takes to grow and maintain stakeholder relationships. Steve has the dexterity to balance client's and service provider's needs. No easy task! Steve is articulate, passionate, and personable. Steve has a deep understanding of the Construction Industry and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of workers.
Steve is one of the most passionate, hardworking Apprentice managers I have worked with. I would highly recommend Steve to any business looking to utilize his skills and talent.
I have worked with Steve on traineeship opportunities. Steve has always shown a genuine dedication to his role and going above and beyond to support individuals. He takes a genuine interest in understanding applicants career pathways. Steve has always been professional in his communication and great advocate for opportunities traineeships provide.
I have worked with Steve Thomas for the past 4 years. Steve was an Apprentice Manager working with apprentices employed on Hanssen Construction sites across Perth. Steve went way over and above in his commitment and dedication to each apprentice he was responsible for. Steve has a genuine caring nature and gets on with both the apprentice and the trades people and supervisors from the host company and always conducts himself professionally. I would be happy to recommend Steve to any employer and speak on his behalf. Chris Bown, Owner Thrive Training PTY LTD
I have worked with Steve for numerous years in his role as an Apprentice Mentor, it is clear that Steve's passion lies in developing, supporting and mentoring the future leaders of our industry. Steve's drive to support these future leaders are next to none and he is an absolute pleasure to deal with because his hard work, honesty and passion is extremely infectious. If anyone is fortunate enough to cross paths with Steve they will be very lucky because he is hard not to like and if any apprentice is lucky enough to have Steve as a mentor they not only get a professional mentor but a personal mentor and will be better off for it.
I have worked with Steve on a few Hanssen Construction projects and I was very impressed by the level of professionalism, passion, and dedication he puts into his work. He was always there for his apprentices, making sure their training requirements are met, but also the host's needs. He is easy to work with, always ready to help with a calm and positive attitude in every situation. Steve would be an asset to any organisation as he has the knowledge, experience, and dedication to deliver what's expected of him and more.
Steve was my acting field officer during a portion of my apprenticeship. Steve was easy to liaise with and empathetic to not only myself but other apprentices during my time. Steve has a great nature and a great role model to young to be tradesmen.
Steve is very, very good at what he does. Steve knows what it takes to grow and maintain stakeholder relationships. Steve has the dexterity to balance client's and service provider's needs. No easy task! Steve is articulate, passionate, and personable. Steve has a deep understanding of the Construction Industry and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of workers.
Steve is one of the most passionate, hardworking Apprentice managers I have worked with. I would highly recommend Steve to any business looking to utilize his skills and talent.
I have worked with Steve on traineeship opportunities. Steve has always shown a genuine dedication to his role and going above and beyond to support individuals. He takes a genuine interest in understanding applicants career pathways. Steve has always been professional in his communication and great advocate for opportunities traineeships provide.
I have worked with Steve on a few Hanssen Construction projects and I was very impressed by the level of professionalism, passion, and dedication he puts into his work. He was always there for his apprentices, making sure their training requirements are met, but also the host's needs. He is easy to work with, always ready to help with a calm and positive attitude in every situation. Steve would be an asset to any organisation as he has the knowledge, experience, and dedication to deliver what's expected of him and more.