Fee-Free TAFE and VET places for Queensland

The federal government has continued rolling out its plan for extra free-fee TAFE places with a new agreement signed with the Queensland Government.

The 12-month Skills Agreement will inject more than $200 million into the Queensland skills and training sector to support access to over 37,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education and training (VET) places in 2023.

It is estimated there will be approximately 6,900 places in sovereign capability including the manufacturing sector, 10,300 Fee-Free places in the care sector, 12,000 places aligned to the technology and digital sectors, 1,600 places in hospitality and tourism, 5,300 places in construction and 900 places in agriculture.

VET in Queensland is demand driven, meaning students can enrol in qualifications that best suit them and their local job market. Based on historical enrolments,

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the $200 million partnership, supporting 37,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational educational and training places next year, was critical to supporting our future workforce.

Palaszczuk said: “Providing the skills and training for Queenslanders not only enriches the lives and employment prospects of students, but also fuels the state’s economy through a highly trained workforce.

“Fee-Free TAFE is making sure employers have access to the skilled workforce they need and that Queenslanders have the skills they need to take up the opportunities that are there for those good jobs.”

Fee-Free TAFE is making sure employers have access to the skilled workforce they need and that Queenslanders have the skills they need to take up the opportunities that are there for those good jobs.

The 12-month Skills agreement is the first stage of delivering on the skills commitments in the Australian Government’s Made in Australia Skills Plan.

It also confirms TAFE’s central role in the VET sector, increasing opportunities and workforce participation of priority groups, while addressing critical skills gaps in the economy.

The agreement includes an Australian Government commitment of $5.8 million to immediately improve TAFE facilities in Queensland, and $930,000 for essential VET data infrastructure reform.

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

Picture: Annastacia Palaszczuk