The Albanese and Miles Labor Governments are jointly investing $35 million to establish a Care and Support TAFE Centre of Excellence at Queensland TAFE's Cairns campus.
The Centre of Excellence will advance partnerships with care providers, universities (including the University of the Sunshine Coast and Griffith University), Jobs and Skills Councils, unions, and Queensland and national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island health councils.
The Centre will ensure TAFE students receive the high-level skills training they need to succeed in the care and support workforce and respond to workforce challenges.
It will strengthen capability and capacity for the aged care, disability support and mental health care sector by:
- progressing new vocational pathways in health and health leadership to help grow and retain care and support workforces.
- increasing accessibility for regional, rural and remote students, by reducing the digital divide to support equitable access to training in the care and support sector, and
- supporting the acceleration of commitments to Closing the Gap by partnering with First Nations stakeholders to develop and deliver culturally appropriate and safe training pathways for First Nations students.
Boosting the number of skilled workers across the care and support sector is vital to meet the growing demand for essential care and support workforces.
The Albanese Government will invest $15 million, matched by the Miles Government, as well as a further $5 million to accelerate the creation of the Centre under the Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence initiative in the Employment White Paper.
The Albanese Government and States and Territories are investing $650 million under the five year National Skills Agreement that began on 1 January, to establish a network of up to 20 TAFE Centres of Excellence in areas of high skills needs to help deliver a skilled workforce for strategically important industries.
As stated by the Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O'Connor:
"The Care and Support TAFE Centre of Excellence is a great example of the Albanese Government partnering with states to place TAFE at the heart of the vocational education and training sector.
"The Centre will strengthen the VET sector by providing high-quality and responsive skills training for our essential healthcare workforces.
"This will boost collaboration between universities and the VET sector. It will deliver the skills and knowledge our labour market requires and strengthen our resilience and our healthcare services, now and in the future.
"I look forward to working with my Queensland counterpart, Minister McCallum, as we build a high-performing and world-class VET sector. This is crucial for us achieving a fairer society and a stronger economy."
As stated by Treasurer Jim Chalmers:
"We're delivering a TAFE Centre of Excellence in Care and Support in Cairns to help local people grab the vast opportunities on offer in one of fastest growing and most exciting sectors of our economy.
"This is all about equipping more Queenslanders with the skills they need to get a great job, have a great career and get ahead at the same time as we address workforce shortages in areas of high demand.
"It will be good for local people and great for the local economy."
As stated by Queensland Minister for Training and Skills Development Lance McCallum:
"As Queensland grows, so does the demand for high-skilled Queenslanders serving on our health frontline.
"Health care and social assistance is Queensland's fastest growing industry, set to employ more than 487,000 people by 2025-26 – with the majority of new jobs created outside our State capital.
"To address demand and provide greater care for Queenslanders, the Queensland Government – in partnership with the Federal Government – is committed to providing more and stronger pathways into health care and support careers.
"The Centre will also build partnerships with industry, unions, universities, employers, health and training organisations, and First Nations communities to develop new training pathways and products.
As stated by Member for Cairns Minister Michael Healy:
"This new TAFE Centre of Excellence is doing what matters for Far North Queensland's healthcare and support sector, increasing accessibility and upskilling our existing workers in these high-priority occupations.
"The Centre will also build partnerships with industry, unions, universities, employers, health and training organisations, and First Nations communities to develop new training pathways and products.
"Health Care and Social Assistance is Queensland's fastest growing industry and is expected to employ more Far North Queenslanders than any other industry by 2025-26, so this initiative is critical to ensure our region can be a national leader."
