The Hon. Brendan O'Connor
Member for Gorton
Minister for Skills and Training 

Senator Jana Stewart
Senator for Victoria

The Australian and Victorian Governments are taking immediate action to address the current skills shortage to deliver more Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education places for Victorians.

This ground-breaking 12-month Skills Agreement will inject more than $250 million into the Victorian skills and training sector to support access to more than 55,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education and training (VET) places in 2023.

This investment will support around 26,900 places in the care sector over the next 12 months, including around 3,800 early childhood education and care places.  

This will help Victoria reach its target of 64,700 new workers in the health, education and community services sectors needed by 2025. 

It also includes support for around 6,500 places in the technology and digital sectors, 6,300 in construction, 2,000 in agriculture, 1,800 in hospitality and tourism, 200 in sovereign capability including manufacturing and 11,700 in Victorian priorities including foundation skills. 

Training through Fee-Free TAFE will help drive enrolments in sectors with recognised skills shortages by matching training identified through the skills priority list. 

TAFE and public dual sector universities will deliver nearly all of the activity in Victoria, with a small portion of non-TAFE providers delivering care training to ensure opportunities are available to all interested students. 

The agreement also includes an Australian Government commitment of $4.2 million to immediately improve TAFE facilities in Victoria, and $0.93 million for essential VET data infrastructure reform.

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.   

For more information visit www.skills.vic.gov.au/s/  

Quotes attributable to Jana Stewart, Senator for Victoria:  

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

“These places will benefit Victorians by providing opportunities for school leavers, workers wanting to retrain or upskill, and unpaid carers to get back into the workforce.” 

Quotes Attributable to Brendan O’Connor, Minister for Skills and Training 

“This agreement with Victoria is about securing a more robust economy and tackling one of our greatest economic challenges in decades, the lack of skilled workers.” 

“Whether it’s in the care sector, agriculture, hospitality and tourism, construction, technology, or the need for sovereign capability in manufacturing, we need to deliver these skills at a time of acute skills shortages, particularly in Victoria.” 

“The Albanese Government believes everyone deserves access to training, and this agreement will increase opportunities and workforce participation for groups such as First Nations Australians, young people aged 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.”