A new program will offer 10,000 extra training places across TAFE and other organisations to assist people upskill following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state government initiative aims to give people the skills they need to move into healthcare and other in-demand jobs
Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes welcomed the $61.6 million investment, which, she said, will give more north-east residents the opportunity to get new skills for a secure job in their local community and right across Victoria.
“TAFE is the engine room of Victoria — giving ... great opportunities, boosting local industries and strengthening our economy — and now we’re making it even easier to get the training you need for in-demand jobs,” Ms Symes said.
“These extra subsidised places will create more opportunities for jobseekers in northern Victoria who might have been retrenched during the pandemic, are looking to change careers or have already got a qualification in another area.”
The pandemic has seen people all over the world thinking more about what really matters to them.
For many, it’s been a time to consider a different career path and these new subsidised places may well help people get started.
Jobseekers can choose to study any VET course, including those on the state government’s Free TAFE list, at any TAFE including Goulburn Ovens institute of TAFE.
Even Victorians who already have another qualification — including a degree — can still access these training places at any TAFE across the state if they’re looking to reskill or change careers after the pandemic.
Importantly, this investment will help boost the local pipeline of highly skilled workers for jobs now and into the future — particularly in high-demand industries such as healthcare, hospitality, early childhood education, construction and trades.
In 2020, the most popular courses across the TAFE system included mental health, nursing and allied health assistance — as the pandemic highlighted the importance of a strong health and care workforce.
More than 100,000 Victorians have already signed up to the Free TAFE program since it was introduced in 2019, making rewarding career pathways accessible to more people and saving them more than $220 million in cumulative course fees.