Rendering at BLA Cairns Career Expo

It was an absolute pleasure to be part of the BuildCairns team for the BLA Cairns Career Expo. This year marked the first time the construction industry was represented at the event—and we’ll definitely be back for more!

The expo was a huge success, with high school students from both public and private schools across Cairns getting hands-on experience in a range of construction activities. These included solid plastering (rendering), painting, plumbing, water filtration, designing wooden coasters, and learning about the crucial role drones play in civil construction—particularly during natural disasters, when rapid assessment and planning are needed to rebuild roads, towns, and essential infrastructure.

A special shoutout to CSQ and Local Jobs Cairns for delivering such a well-organised event. There were several incredible organisations that contributed valuable ideas, support, donations, stalls, activities, including:

• Mark Fletcher Solid Plaster & Texture Coatings

• Master Builders QLD (FNQ)

• CSQ

• HIA

• MiHaven

• NICS

• John Holland

• Hansen Yuncken

• HEH Civil

• FNQ Women in Construction

• MAS National

• Makita

• Dawsons Training

• QLeave

• QBCC

• Playtime Photo Booths

• Plassons

• Collins Construction

• Cairns Hardware

• Dulux

  
  

It was great to see so many high school students excited to try their hand at rendering.

A big thank you to our sponsors for helping us deliver an engaging and fun activity:

• Collins Construction – for building our blue board walls

• Cairns Hardware – for supplying the blue board

• Dulux – for providing materials and, of course, the Dulux puppies, which were a huge hit!