A program to get more people to qualify for jobs in skills shortage sectors has exceeded its 12-month target in NSW, with 182,124 people enrolling in fee-free TAFE in the state last year.
Official data shows the free study and training initiative has attracted promising numbers of TAFE students in 2023.
As of December 31 last year, NSW recorded student enrolments numbered 8,728 for construction, 9,651 for technology and digital, and 34,630 for care sector courses.
The fee-free TAFE program was designed to boost enrollments in study areas including education, health, construction and IT courses, and is jointly supported by the Commonwealth and NSW governments.
Minister for skills and training Brendan O’Connor said the government program was helping to respond to the worst skills crisis Australia experienced in 50 years.
“Fee-Free TAFE is helping people in New South Wales, and across Australia, to acquire skills to ensure they have meaningful work, well-paid jobs and career progression,” O’Connor said.
“[The program has] transformed the lives of students from diverse backgrounds right across New South Wales, at the same time making sure there is a strong pipeline of workers to fill in-demand jobs.”
Fee-free TAFE students are prioritised for enrolment if they belong to an excluded or under-represented group in the labour market.
According to the NSW figures, women comprised 118,620 of the enrolled total, and more than 70,000 students came from regional and remote parts of the state.
Nearly 50,000 fee-free TAFE students reported that they spoke a language other than English at home; 15,154 reported being First Nations and 10,000 were people with disability.
O’Connor also stressed that during a national cost-of-living crisis, the option to remove financial barriers to enter the workforce offered “big savings”.
Under the program, a person studying to become an early childhood educator or undertaking a Certificate III in school-based education and support saves $1,600 in course fees.
Similarly, a student completing a Certificate IV in accounting and bookkeeping saves nearly $2,000 in course fees.
NSW ministerial counterpart Steve Whan said the program showed the determination of the Albanese and Minns Labor governments to strengthen the VET system.
“The fee-free TAFE program highlights [our commitment to] placing TAFE at the heart of vocational delivery across New South Wales and Australia,” Whan said.
The federal government has committed another $414.1 million over four years to ensure states and territories can deliver another 300,000 fee-free TAFE and VET places for students.
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