The Malinauskas Labor Government is investing a record $1.44 billion, on top of an additional $880 million from the Commonwealth, as part of the National Skills Agreement (NSA), to shore up workers in crucial fields – with funding rolling out this year.
It's the largest investment in skills and training in the state's history and is designed to ensure apprentices and trainees are being trained in the sectors South Australia needs for the future of the economy – and that young people are getting jobs in trades and professions the state needs.
The skills investment rolling out this year focuses on five key areas:
1. Ensuring training places are available in areas of need
2. Making sure students complete their course
3. Having TAFE as the public provider at the centre
4. High-quality training and making sure apprentices are safe at work
5. Lifting the state's skills level
Over the next five years, the government will support 160,000 new subsidised training places, in areas of critical need, with a total $225 million investment allocated for 2024-25 alone.
This funding ensures we meet the skills demand in areas of priority including construction, defence and space, early childhood education and care and IT as the state focuses on huge projects such as building thousands of homes, the construction of the River Torrens to Darlington project, AUKUS and three-year-old preschool.
The investment for the year also includes:
- $13.4m to support students' mental health and wellbeing to increase completion rates – giving them access to services such as counselling
- $2.7m in foundational skills training in literacy, numeracy and digital to give more South Australians the critical skills they need to find employment
- $21.9m to increase the number of training places offered through TAFE SA, with a focus on growing enrolments the regions
- $1.3m to increase compliance and audits to ensure high-quality training is offered.
*Up to $3m in equipment and capital grants to give students the best training with state-of-the-art equipment.
It comes as the Malinauskas Labor Government today announces the latest recipients of the equipment and capital grants – a fund that supports training facilities, modern infrastructure and technology and industry-relevant equipment for employers and trainers.
This year's recipients include projects such as the purchase of machines, civil simulation training equipment, the construction of an all-weather trade training pavilion, the development of online resources and IT equipment to support more accessibility for training.
In the 2024-2025 round, 21 providers across metropolitan and regional South Australia received $2.75m for infrastructure, equipment and technology that demonstrated increased student retention and completions, increased engagement of regional learners and innovation in training products development and delivery.
North East Development Agency (NEDA) was a successful recipient of this round and will receive a $250,000 grant to construct an outdoor pavilion to increase capacity and ensure training can continue in all weather. Other recipients include the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, Civil Contractors Federation and Limestone Coast Work Options.
As put by Blair Boyer
We are injecting $2.3 billion, an historic increase in funding, to give South Australians the skills they need to secure the in-demand jobs that our state is calling out for.
The Equipment and Capital grants program is critical to attracting and maintaining a pipeline of skilled workers to help meet our urgent housing, infrastructure, defence industry, care and energy skills needs now, and into the future.
Through the Equipment and Capital Grant program, we are ensuring that students can be confident their training facilities are contemporary and furnished with the most up-to-date equipment and technology available.
This is part of our clear plan to tackle the skill shortage, get people into training, and ensure students are finishing their courses – and that investment in skills is where it matters most for areas of critical need.
As put by NEDA / NECV Construction Training Manager, Quentin Sickerdick
The Equipment and Capital grant is a huge benefit to NEDA / NEVC and our 900 plus apprentices in construction-based training.
It allows us to upgrade our already high-level Training Facility, improving our ability to meet the needs of our apprentices, their employers and the increasing demand for skilled construction workers in SA.
