In the time since Major Convos last aired, Corey’s beloved Brisbane Broncos finally ended their 19-year premiership drought and RTO operators and tradespeople navigated a full year of regulatory change, funding shifts and real pressure on the ground.
Major Convos is back, in a new studio and with plenty to cover.
While the Broncos memorabilia is no longer the backdrop for these discussions, Major Convos has a new production team ready to unpack the conversations that matter most to the trades and RTO world.
Season three kicks off with hosts Matthew Tenkate and Corey Bowles catching up on everything that’s unfolded since August last year.
It’s an honest, wide-ranging conversation about business expansion, leadership development, the changing perception of trades as a career and the lessons that come with growing fast.
Trades are having a moment
One of the clearest shifts over the past year has been in how people, especially young people are thinking about career pathways. Conversations about trades versus university are louder than ever and it’s happening globally.
Matthew has been travelling overseas and found the same energy in the United States, where the college-or-trade decision is getting serious attention.
Social media has played a big role in driving that conversation in Australia. Tradies are showing up online, sharing their work and creating genuine awareness around what a life in the trades actually looks like.
The comedy parodies, the day-in-the-life videos, the behind-the-scenes content and it’s all building a picture that younger generations are responding to.
The bigger shift is in how trades are positioned. A trade is now a genuine first choice. Experienced operators in the industry have been making the case that completing a trade and then pursuing university study is a far more practical sequence than the reverse.
Tradespeople who keep investing in themselves and their learning tend to develop into business owners with growing teams. The ceiling is high and the path is real.
Season three will feature guests who started on the tools and built something significant. These stories that show what’s possible when people keep growing.
RPL and the Churchill Education partnership
One of the major developments over the past year has been the introduction of Churchill Education into the Major Training Group. Churchill Education RTO 31430 specialises in Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), a pathway that allows people already working in industry to have their experience formally recognised as a qualification.
RPL is widely misunderstood. Many people assume it’s a shortcut or a lesser form of qualification. The reality is that RPL is a rigorous and legitimate pathway that acknowledges real-world experience. For tradespeople and white-collar workers alike, documented on-the-job experience can count toward genuine qualifications and in many cases, people are further along than they realise.
The thing that stops most people from pursuing formal recognition is the fear of starting again. RPL removes that barrier. People stay in their careers while their experience is assessed and recognised. Major Training and Churchill Education RTO 31430 are working on more crossover between the two businesses to create greater opportunities for people across both pathways.
Nearly a year into the partnership, the learning curve has been steep and worthwhile. The team at Churchill brings strong expertise and the collaboration is generating real results for learners.
Expanding into New South Wales
Growth has been a defining theme of the past year at Major Training. New facilities opened in Virginia (Brisbane) and Beresfield in Newcastle, New South Wales, both in a relatively short period of time. The Virginia site now houses the Churchill team and expands Major Training’s offering into the Brisbane schools and trades market. The Newcastle facility gives the business a strong base in NSW.
The leadership lesson that stuck
Matthew has spent meaningful time over the past couple of years in learning environments alongside some of the world’s best coaches and leaders. One lesson keeps coming up: growth never stops.
There’s no arrival point in leadership. The path shifts, teams change and the people around you evolve. The leaders who struggle are often the ones still operating from the same playbook they wrote years ago.
A standout insight came from ‘Coach K,’ legendary US basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who observed that the players he coached stayed the same age, while he kept getting older. His longevity came from his willingness to evolve. His leadership had to change as the people he led changed. That’s as true for an RTO leader as it is for a championship basketball coach.
What’s coming this season
Season three is stacking up with a strong guest list. Employers and industry partners will share insights from the frontline. Apprentices will come on to tell their stories and give an honest account of what they’re navigating. RTO operators and industry voices will bring perspectives on what’s working across the sector.
The goal is the same as it’s always been. Good conversations with people who have something real to say. Lifelong learning and career pathways will be front and centre throughout the season.
Just like Corey signed off in this episode, “smack that subscribe button!” If you believe Corey should stick with this sign off or needs a new catchphrase, let the team know at marketing@major.com.au. Either way, season three is here and it’s worth listening to.
