The Australian Government partnered with state and territory governments to establish a $1 billion 12-month Skills Agreement to deliver 180,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational educational places from January 2023.
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The Australian Government contribution of $493 million will be matched by states and territories to support the delivery of training places.
The Australian Government has also announced an additional $414.1 million will be committed for a further 300,000 TAFE and vocational educational courses to be made fee-free from Jan 2024 – this is currently being negotiated with States and Territories through the 5-year National Skills Agreement.
The Agreement sets out training places across the following areas of national priority:
- care (aged care, childcare, health care and disability care)
- technology and digital
- hospitality and tourism
- construction
- agriculture
- sovereign capability
The Australian Government has identified that Fee-Free TAFE will be prioritised for a number of priority groups, noting that specific details on priority groups, qualifications and courses may differ in each state and territory.
Priority groups include:
- First Nations Australians
- young people (17-24)
- people who are out of work or receiving income support payments
- unpaid carers
- women facing economic insecurity
- women undertaking study in non-traditional fields
- people with disability
- certain categories of visa holders.
More information
- For Fee-Free TAFE course eligibility, and to search industries and occupations to find a career that's right for you, visit Fee-Free TAFE | Your Career.
- Minister for Skills and Training media centre.
- Skills and Workforce Ministerial Council communiques