A growing number of South Australians are gaining valuable skills and qualifications through Fee-Free TAFE with new data showing an increase in course completions.
TAFE SA data shows completion rates for Fee-Free TAFE courses at Certificate II level and below have risen from 53 per cent for the 2023 intake to 62 per cent for the 2024 intake, a strong sign that the initiative is helping more students successfully complete their studies and move into secure employment.
To further boost student success, TAFE SA has implemented a range of initiatives aimed at improving retention and completion rates.
These include proactive re-engagement campaigns offering students additional support such as counselling, scholarships for incidental costs, flexible part-time study options, and the ability to take temporary leave if needed.
A dedicated team is also monitoring the entire student journey from enrolment through to graduation and identifying opportunities for support services, course design, and training delivery. It is looking at best-practice strategies from across Australia around students support and success.
TAFE SA has delivered more than 20,600 fee-free course enrolments over the past three years since the commencement of the State and Federal Government initiative, with many students undertaking study who would otherwise have been unable to do so.
Under the Fee-Free TAFE program, TAFE SA has offered selected qualifications and skills sets free of tuition fees for eligible students that align to the state's priority industry growth sectors and priority cohorts.
Fee-free enrolment location data released earlier this year showed that students right across the state are benefiting from the life-changing initiative, particularly those from priority student groups who may face additional barriers to accessing education and training. 75 per cent of all enrolments (or over 15,000) were undertaken by students belonging to at least one priority student group.
Recent figures show that South Australians have saved over $50 million in course fees since the introduction of Fee-Free TAFE.
An additional 1,600 fee free training places are also now available for South Australians who want to train, retrain or upskill in construction courses – a key area of industry demand.
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.
I am so pleased to see the incredible work of TAFE and its support programs, driving up the completion rate and ensuring students are finishing their qualifications and getting into well-paid secure work.
As put by TAFE SA Chief Executive Adam Kilvert
We have been thrilled with the response to Fee Free TAFE and to date we've been able to offer more than 20,600 fee-free places across our program areas.
Our data indicates that Fee Free TAFE is strongly supporting areas of lower socio-economic status and higher unemployment, providing life-changing skills and training opportunities for these priority cohorts.
Some of these groups traditionally face greater barriers to successful course completion, so the fact that we have been able to engage and upskill these students and are seeing improved completion outcomes is a great result.
It is inspiring 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.
