The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments have today announced an investment of almost $150 million in joint funding to strengthen the skilled workforce across NSW.
This funding, delivered under the National Skills Agreement, will help students complete vocational education and training through a range of targeted initiatives.
These include expanded financial support for regional students who travel to attend training, tackling one of the biggest barriers to training completion: distance.
Federal Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles and NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan met regional TAFE students in Grafton today, many of whom stand to benefit directly from the new investment.
Under the Agreement, both governments are contributing more than $70 million each over three years, focusing on four key priority areas:
- $21 million to provide direct support to students and improve training completion rates. This will boost support services and scholarships to unlock student's full potential and build the critical skills NSW needs for the future.
- $29 million to promote diversity in the skilled workforce and boost participation from underrepresented groups. It will expand targeted initiatives to improve training outcomes for disengaged youth, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and to encourage women to take up trades
- $19 million to develop a future workforce in critical industries, including creating local opportunities in the renewable energy sector and backing in students training to join the care sector.
- $3 million to establish an innovation fund and support new research that invests in new, evidence backed initiatives to give students the best support possible to see their training through.
As part of the agreement, today's announcement in Grafton highlighted a $10 million investment to strengthen the Vocational Training Assistance Scheme, which helps apprentices and trainees with travel and accommodation costs for students required to travel more than 110km round trip to attend day or block release training.
This joint investment under the National Skills Agreement embeds national cooperation to enhance the NSW vocational education and training sector. The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments will provide long overdue supports and services to ensure there is access to high-quality training in NSW.
This builds on the Minns Labor Government's record $3.4 billion investment in Skills and TAFE in the 2025/26 Budget to improve access and quality of vocational education and training for NSW students, including:
- $40.2 million for fee free apprenticeships and traineeships
- $13.8 million Construction Workforce Package
- $121 million to repair TAFE NSW campuses statewide
Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:
"The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments are boosting our investments in skills so that everyone in New South Wales - whether they're in the city, on the coast or in a regional or remote community - can get the support they need to finish their course and gain a qualification.
"Our Governments are particularly aware of the barriers to training faced by those in regional communities, which is why we're making investments to boost travel and accommodation supports for students and apprentices across regional New South Wales."
Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan:
"This announcement shows the Minns Labor Government is backing apprentices and trainees, particularly those who need extra support.
"Skills are the backbone of our economy. By supporting apprentices to complete their training, we are not only investing in individuals but also in the workforce that will build, care for, and strengthen NSW into the future."
