Skills agreement

to benefit Central Coast students

The Australian and NSW Governments have signed a landmark 12-month Skills Agreement to address the current skills shortage and deliver Fee-Free TAFE and more vocational education places.

16 December 2022

 

THE $319 million agreement will deliver a significant boost to the NSW skills and training sector.

 

This will provide immediate support through approximately 120,000 Fee Free TAFE and vocational education and training (VET) places in 2023, including future TAFE students on the Central Coast.

 

The course list will see approximately 40,200 fee-free places in the care sector (including approximately 10,000 in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector), 9,900 in technology and digital, 6,900 in agriculture, 5,200 in construction, 5,000 in hospitality and tourism, 1,200 in sovereign capability, and 51,400 in other priority sectors including foundation skills.

 

The Agreement will increase opportunities and workforce participation of priority groups, including First Nations Australians, young people (17-24), people out of work or receiving income support, unpaid carers, women undertaking study in non-traditional fields, people with disability and certain categories of visa holders.

 

The Agreement includes an Australian Government commitment of $1.32 million for essential VET data infrastructure reform in NSW and $7.5 million from the Australian Government’s TAFE Technology Fund to improve training facilities in NSW.

 

The $7.5 million commitment from the TAFE Technology Fund will upgrade essential infrastructure for training at TAFE NSW campuses.

 

Minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O’Connor said, "The Australian Government recognises the urgency of the skills crisis facing the nation, and the challenges particular to NSW, which is why this Agreement is so important.

 

"If we want to provide greater opportunity in NSW for secure and rewarding employment, we must be able to skill and reskill our workforce.

 

"Whether it’s a need to build our care sector, construction, hospitality and tourism, or technology and digital sectors, we need to deliver these skills at a time of acute skills shortages."

 

Federal Member for Robertson, Dr Gordon Reid said, "Along with tackling skills shortages, these places will benefit the people of Robertson by providing opportunities for school leavers, workers wanting to retrain or upskill, and unpaid carers – who are predominantly women – to get back into the workforce.

 

"The Albanese Government is investing in our greatest resource – our people – to give them the skills and training they need today and to harness the jobs and opportunities of the future."

 

All Governments have also agreed to a vision and guiding principles for longer-term VET reform to commence in 2024.