Government investment in vocational education and training (VET) rose nearly 10 per cent in 2024, as South Australia prepares a pipeline of skilled workers for construction, defence, infrastructure, care and tech jobs.
The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) today published the Government Funding of VET report, which shows the Australian and South Australian Governments allocated a combined $422 million to training in 2024, an increase of 9.4 per cent or an additional $36.2 million compared to 2023 – it was the largest amount allocated since records started in 2017.
South Australia allocated $240.5 million, an increase of 12.7 per cent or $27.1 million compared to 2023, aligned to the implementation of the National Skills Agreement (NSA), in effect from 1 January 2024.
TAFE SA's funding increased 14.2 per cent or $31.5 million, from $221.6 million in 2023 to $253.1 million, while non-government training provider funding, including community adult education, increased by 2.3 per cent or $2.9 million, from $124 million in 2023 to $126.9 million. In 2021, non-government providers, including adult community education, received $96.2 million.
Funding directly supports training delivery and student assistance, as well as indirectly through governance, capital works, and incentives to industry to support workforce training and apprenticeship employment.
In 2024, $360.4 million was invested in training delivery through TAFE SA and other training providers, an increase of 11 per cent or $35.7 million compared to 2023 ($324.8 million).
There was also $5.7 million invested for student assistance to support completions and wellbeing, an increase of 5.6 per cent compared to 2023 ($5.4 million).
Additionally, there were increases for:
- Diploma or higher courses, up 2.8 per cent to $39.4 million
- Certificate III courses, up 7.1 per cent to $151 million
- Certificate II courses, up 8 per cent to $32.3 million
- Regional and remote students, up 1 per cent to $72.4 million
- Students reporting a disability, up 10.1 per cent to $26.5 million
- Students reporting they were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, up 3 per cent to $8.6 million.
As put by Blair Boyer
This is a critical time for South Australia's economic future, where we must ensure the next generation is skilled and ready to participate in the biggest and most complex jobs of the future, in defence, construction, care, IT and AI.
That means increasing our investment in vocational education and training providers including TAFE, not-for profit and for-profit.
Our record investment in TAFE and vocational training is delivering the workforce we need – and the skills workers deserve.
Our partnership with the Australian Government under the National Skills Agreement is a $2.3 billion investment to build a pipeline of skilled workers in the areas of greatest need.
