South Australia's vocational education and training (VET) workforce will see a $10 million boost to ensure more South Australians train and upskill as VET educators, while learning from experienced educators with industry backgrounds.
The funding is a joint commitment by the Albanese and Malinauskas Governments, with each government contributing matched funding of $5 million - and comes at a pivotal time with skills shortages right across the country.
The initiatives will focus on increasing supply and professional development, ensuring South Australia has more trainers in areas including building and construction, early childhood, defence and health to deliver the workforce South Australia needs.
To build the workforce delivering training across TAFEs, training providers and adult community education (ACE), the funding will deliver a suite of initiatives to grow the workforce by more than 300, and opportunities for more than 500 participants to strengthen the existing workforce including:
- Scholarships for educators
- Upskilling educators' qualifications
- Simpler pathways for industry to become educators
- Encouraging educators to also take on research opportunities within the sector
- Support new and early career educators with mentoring to ensure they stay in the industry
- Help experienced VET educators to complete higher-level qualifications to strengthen their teaching quality and mentor early career educators
Experienced educators will be supported through expansion of Accelerate scholarships for higher-level qualifications and a practitioner-as-researcher pathway to foster leadership across the training sector.
The 'industry professional to VET educator' pathway was recently piloted with eight industry professionals transitioning into educator vacancies in TAFE SA's Future Industries and Trade faculty, in the mining, engineering, automotive, building and construction sectors.
The $408,000 12-week pilot program fast-tracked trade professionals into educator roles, addressing the shortage of qualified educators in skill priority areas, such as carpentry, concreting, plumbing, electrical and community services.
Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:
"Labor Governments back TAFE and training - because our VET sector is absolutely critical to the success of our communities and our country.
"The Albanese and Malinauskas Governments are boosting our investment in skills so South Australians can get the support they need from qualified educators to finish their course and get a qualification.
"Our Government developed the VET Workforce Blueprint in late 2024 in collaboration with states and territories, to support, grow and sustain the VET workforce, because we're particularly aware of the need for qualified trainers and educators to train the next generation."
Quotes attributable to South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer:
"South Australia will be central to some of the nation's most exciting projects, with major projects underway in the defence industry, construction, early childhood and health - and we need more VET trainers to train the next generation of workers.
"There is a critical need for skilled workers right across the country so we must support educators to continue seeing growth in students undertaking the courses we need skilled workers in.
"South Australia's s vocational educators are hardworking and passionate, and their drive and compassion for their students is evident every time I visit a training provider.
"This injection of funding will give educators the support they need to continue their great work, as well as additional support to expand their qualifications and become better educators."
