The Victorian Government has announced that they will be offering free TAFE for priority courses, to give more Victorians the chance to gain the skills they need to pursue jobs in demand by Victorian employers.
From 1 January 2019, a brand new initiative named ‘Free TAFE for Priority Courses’ covers tuition fees for priority courses for students who are eligible for government-subsidised training. When Build Australia asked about the reasons behind this initiative, a spokesperson from the Victorian Department of Education and Training explained that the Victorian Government aims to deliver a sustained program of investment and reform that is designed to rebuild Victoria’s TAFE institutes, so they can deliver the skills our growing population and economy needs.
“In less than four years, the Government has invested more than $48 billion in an unprecedented building program of new schools, hospitals, roads and public transport infrastructure, which has created a massive demand for skilled construction workers,” the Victorian Department of Education and Training spokesperson said.
“At the same time, we have stabilised our public training system, enabling Victorian TAFEs to increase enrolments by almost 12 per cent from 2016 to 2017, compared to a national decline of 3.4 per cent for the same period,” the spokesperson commented.
Through the 2018/19 Victorian Budget, the Victorian Government has announced that they will be providing an additional $644 million to give Victorians access to the training they need.
“We know that cost can deter people from taking up training, so this Budget breaks down that barrier, delivering $172 million to make 30 priority TAFE courses and 18 pre-apprenticeship courses in these growth industries free,” the spokesperson stated, “free TAFE for Priority Courses is an opportunity for students who normally couldn’t afford TAFE, or who would find it financially difficult, to do a course that will increase their chances of getting a job, without paying tuition fees.”
Courses included in this initiative are a strong basis to provide hard-working people employment pathways in key growth industries such as the building and construction, as well as other areas of social priority.
Construction industry Free TAFE non-apprenticeship courses include:
- Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building)
- Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)
- Certificate III in Civil Construction
- Certificate III in Concreting
- Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing
- Certificate IV in Engineering
- Certificate IV in Plumbing and Service
Free Pre-apprenticeship pathway courses include:
- Certificate II in Construction Pathways
- Certificate II in Engineering Pathways
- Certificate II in Engineering Studies
- Certificate II in Furniture Making
- Certificate II in Glass and Glazing
- Certificate II in Plumbing (Pre-apprenticeship)
Further information on this initiative, along with other free TAFE courses that will be offered can be accessed here.