Remote Training Hubs support Central Australian First Nations peoples access On-Country Vocational Education and Training (VET). The Hubs will help to ensure training meets community needs matched to local jobs.
On-Country training
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, the National Indigenous Australians Agency and the Northern Territory Government are working in partnership with First Nations peoples to establish up to 7 Hubs across Central Australia by 30 June 2028.
The Hubs will:
- connect people with training On-Country that will enable development of skills and create pathways to employment
- assist with transport between locations
- engage mentors and wrap-around supports to help people connect training qualifications with local job opportunities.
The development of the Hubs has been informed by community consultation undertaken in 2023 and guided by advice from the Central Australian Plan Aboriginal Leadership Group.
Hub grants
Planning is underway to establish the Hubs. Funding will be distributed via grant opportunities, with the first successful recipient announced in July 2026.
Local Cultural Authority, Atyenhenge Atherre Aboriginal Corporation (AAAC), has received grant funding to deliver the Hub for the communities in Rodinga. Located in Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte), the Hub will support surrounding communities including:
- Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte)
- Titjikala
- Finke (Aputula)
- Amoonguna
Grant funding supports capital assets and improvements, Hub coordination and mentoring, and transport for participants travelling between outlying communities and the Hub location.
Additional Hub grant recipients will be announced in the coming months.
Mobile Training Units
Mobile Training Units (MTUs) are a key component of the Remote Training Hubs Network measure. Desert Peoples Centre Inc (DPC) is the successful recipient of a $3 million Grant to support the delivery of training in remote First Nations communities in Central Australia. DPC will deliver 4 custom-built and industry standard MTUs linked to the following in-demand industries:
- Carpentry
- Conservation and Ecosystem Management
- Hospitality (Cookery)
- Resource and Infrastructure
DPC will lead a joint consortium to enhance the capability of Registered Training Organisations in remote Central Australia to:
- lift the availability of accredited VET
- enhance the ability to viably and affordably provide compliant, simulated work environments
- ensure that appropriate training can be delivered to communities.
The consortium in Central Australia is comprised of Centre for Appropriate Technology, Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, Charles Darwin University and the Northern Territory Department of Education and Training.
The MTUs commenced delivering training in June 2026.
A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia
The Remote Training Hubs were announced by the Prime Minister on 13 February 2024, as part of the A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia. The Australian Government is investing $30.2 million over 5 years to create opportunities for people living in remote Central Australia, support job creation and improve On-Country learning.