Keith Schleiger, the former foreman on Australian renovation series The Block, has criticised the next generation of tradies, saying they lack a strong work ethic and “want to be mollycoddled.” The 50-year-old told Perth Now that apprentices now arrive less prepared than in the past and that the decline stemmed in part from changes to school-based technical education.
"(Young tradies) want to be mollycoddled as much as possible," Schleiger said, adding that the standard of incoming workers is not what it used to be. He pointed specifically to the removal of technical schools from Victoria's schooling system, arguing that fewer practical hours in school meant apprentices require more time to reach expected standards.
"We've taken away tech schools from the schooling system in Victoria. It's really made a big difference to the standard of tradesmen that we have," Schleiger said. "In the old days, apprentices were ready to go before they started, because they've done plenty of hours in school. These days they don't. It takes them a long time to catch up." He said he did not intend to be harsh but was "calling it as it is."
Schleiger, who served as foreman on The Block for 11 seasons, stepped back from full-time duties on the long-running Nine Network series in 2024. Speaking to the Daily Mail about the current season, he said he has not been watching regularly because of family commitments, including his children's sports schedule.
"I haven't seen much of it, I must admit," he said. "Both of my kids are very into sport and I'm quite often not home between the hours of 7.30 and 8.00 due to my kids playing sport, so I haven't seen a lot of this season." He added that when time permits he watches episodes and believes the work on the Daylesford site is in capable hands.
Schleiger praised his successor, fellow foreman Dan Reilly, saying, "I'm sure Dan is doing very well. He's very good at his job and I don't know if he's missing me or not, but I'd say he would be." He estimated he watches "about maybe an hour a week" of the current season.
The comments follow Schleiger's gradual withdrawal from on-screen duties after more than a decade on the program. His remarks link broader concerns about training pathways and practical experience to the preparedness of young tradespeople, reflecting an ongoing debate in Australia about vocational education and the pipeline into skilled trades.