The Albanese Labor Government will introduce legislation to establish Fee-Free TAFE as an enduring feature of the national vocational education and training system, funding 100,000 Fee-Free TAFE places a year from 2027.
This builds on the Albanese Government partnership with states and territories to deliver 180,000 Fee-Free TAFE places in 2023; 300,000 places over three years from 2024; and agreements being finalised for a further 20,000 construction and housing Fee-Free places.
Fee-Free TAFE started in January 2023 to 30 June 2024 and has exceeded all expectations - with more than 508,000 enrolments in courses in priority areas, including:
- 131,000 in care - including disability and aged care
- 48,900 in digital and tech
- 35,000 in construction
- 35,500 in early childhood education and care
Fee-Free TAFE is particularly benefitting Australians from priority cohorts, with 170,000 young Australians, 124,000 job seekers and 30,000 First Nations Australians enrolling in the program.
Of all places, six in 10 have been taken up by women, and one in three in regional and remote Australia.
Legislating enduring funding for Fee-Free TAFE builds on the Government's strong record on skills and training, including:
- A landmark $30 billion five-year National Skills Agreement with all states and territories.
- Putting TAFE at the heart of the Vocational Education and Training sector with states and territories, growing our investment in Fee-Free TAFE and continuing to build a national network of TAFE Centres of Excellence.
- Investing an additional $870 million per financial year between 2022-23 and 2025-26, compared to expenditure committed to by the previous Government in the March 2022-23 Budget.
Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:
"We promised Fee-Free TAFE for Australians - and now it is here to stay.
"My Government is putting TAFE back at the centre of vocational education and training, with our investment in Fee-Free TAFE having already seen over 500,000 Australians participating in priority areas to help fix skills shortages.
"We want to make sure Australians can go on to have well-paid, secure jobs - and Fee-Free TAFE creates those opportunities for individuals as well as investing in the future of our country.
"This is what drives and defines my Government - helping Australians now, whilst also building for the future."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles:
"As I travel around the country, at every TAFE I visit, I meet students that tell me what a life changer Fee-Free TAFE has been for them. After a decade of neglect under the Liberals the Albanese Government is committed to rebuilding the vocational education and training sector.
"Fee Free TAFE continues to be an enormous success helping Australians to get ahead while easing cost of living pressures. More than half a million Australians are gaining skills and the opportunity to work in meaningful jobs that give back to their community.
"We want all Australians to have access to our world-class tertiary education sectors."
Additional background information:
From 1 January 2023 to 30 June this year, there were over:
- 317,404 enrolments by women
- 170,470 by people aged 24 and under
- 124,312 by job seekers
- 110,969 by people who speak a language other than English at home
- 30,041 by First Nations people.
Students from regional and remote areas comprise almost 35 per cent of total enrolments.
Fee-Free TAFE means a South Australian undertaking a Certificate IV in Information Technology saves $4,704 in course fees while a Queenslander training to be a nurse saves up to $15,900 in course fees, while.
Someone in Northern Territory doing a Certificate IV in School Based Education Support saves up to $6,950.
