New figures show that South Australians have saved over $50 million in course fees since the introduction of Fee-Free TAFE.
This investment has enabled almost 22,500 students enrolled across TAFE SA and independent registered training organisations (RTOs) to undertake fee-free training in areas of skills need.
An additional 1,600 fee-free training places are now available for South Australians who want to train, retrain or upskill in construction courses – a key area of industry demand.
A student studying a Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) will save up to $10,633 under the scheme – helping thousands of South Australians access training when they may not have been able to otherwise.
TAFE SA has 1,200 places available, with a further 400 places at independent RTOs over the next two years.
Students can access places in 40 construction courses, including in bricklaying, carpentry, electrotechnology, concreting, plumbing, landscape construction and civil construction.
Apprenticeships are able to be accessed fee-free for the first time as part of this.
These training places are supporting a pipeline of skilled workers for the construction industry, helping to increase South Australia's housing supply, aligned to the state's Housing Roadmap.
It comes as latest National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) data shows TAFE SA has performed well in 2024, compared to 2023 with overall student numbers increased by 2.4 per cent (up by 825) and subject enrolments increased by 3.7 per cent (up by 8,370).
Construction trades workers are up 2.3 per cent in 2024 compared with 2023, and 30.3 per cent higher than 2020.
In 2024, TAFE SA's program enrolments grew by 5.1 (up by 1,890) compared to 2023, placing it second among TAFEs across the different states and territories, behind only to WA.
A further 820 places are available to First Nations students at independent RTOs and Aboriginal Community Controlled RTOs, spanning more than 50 courses and skills sets in agriculture, care, construction, hospitality and tech and digital.
In partnership with the Australian Government, $34.4 million is being invested in South Australia to support 16,000 fee-free vocational education places between 2024 and 2026.
More information: My Training | Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education
As put by Blair Boyer
Fee-Free TAFE is such an important initiative to break down barriers to education and training and make courses more accessible to people who otherwise would not have had the opportunity.
It has been a gamechanger for South Australians seeking to get the skills they need for a rewarding career – and this investment in skills is one of the most significant in our state's history.
In fact, 24 per cent of students currently in a fee-free training place were unemployed prior to starting, and the greatest take up has been in Adelaide's suburbs and regional areas where there is economic disadvantage.
There are now more places in construction courses offered under Fee Free TAFE – a critical area of need experiencing skills shortages.
As put by TAFE SA Interim Chief Executive Adam Kilvert
We have been thrilled with the response to Fee-Free TAFE and we've seen thousands of enrolments across our program areas.
We're pleased to see many students gaining qualifications in key industry sectors who may otherwise have not been able to study and pursue a new career path.
Data indicates that Fee-Free TAFE is also strongly supporting areas of lower socio-economic status and higher unemployment, providing life-changing skills and training opportunities for these priority cohorts.
Fee Free TAFE is having a critical role in helping industries facing skill shortages and supporting people wanting to train, retrain or upskill.
