- Around 50 fee-free and low-fee building and construction courses available at WA TAFEs in 2026
- Fee-free pre-apprenticeships available in crucial housing trades including electrical and plumbing
- $21.9 million State Government investment to add seven building and construction courses to the fee-free list for 2026
The Cook Government is continuing its investment in TAFE to boost the housing construction workforce, adding seven new building and construction qualifications to TAFE's fee free course list for 2026.
With jobs, health and housing the government's priorities, the new qualifications - including five apprenticeships - bring the total number of fee-free and low-fee building and construction courses on offer at TAFE in 2026 to around 50.
Fee-free TAFE is jointly funded by the Albanese Labor Government and the Cook Labor Government, and the seven new fee-free qualifications are part of a $21.9 million State Government investment.
The investment in fee-free and low-fee courses makes education and training more accessible and affordable and reinforces TAFE's role in delivering a well-trained workforce to fill quality jobs in Western Australia's diversified economy.
The Cook Government's 'You can Make it Here' campaign is celebrating and promoting TAFE and the education and training opportunities it offers.
From January, Western Australians can access the new fee-free apprenticeship qualifications in trades essential to the housing construction workforce including plumbing, bricklaying and blocklaying, wall and ceiling lining and solid plastering.
Since the start of 2025, seven trades pre-apprenticeships have been available fee-free, allowing Western Australians to get fundamental skills for in-demand housing trades such as bricklaying, cabinetmaking, carpentry, electrical and plumbing.
When students do a pre-apprenticeship they receive credits towards their apprenticeship, which reduces their total training fees and accelerates completion of their trade qualification and progression into the building and construction workforce.
To the end of August 2025, almost 850 Western Australians were enrolled in the fee-free housing trades pre-apprenticeships at WA TAFE colleges, with electrotechnology (trade needed to be an electrician) surging by almost 150 enrolments on the same time last year.
TAFE admissions are open for Semester 1 2026 applications until 6 February 2026, with the deadline for competitive courses extended to 14 November 2025.
To learn more about building and construction courses available at TAFE visit www.tafe.wa.edu.au or contact your local TAFE, or Jobs and Skills Centre on 13 64 64.
As stated by Skills and TAFE Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"TAFE is the gateway to rewarding careers and well paid jobs, and the Cook Labor Government's support through fee-free and low-fee courses is making a TAFE education more accessible and affordable.
"We've made 140 TAFE courses fee-free, and we have slashed fees for another 160.
"We're adding more construction and building qualifications to the fee-free lists next year, helping to deliver the skilled workforce that will build more homes for Western Australians.
"Our latest investment of $21.9 million means there will be around 50 fee-free and low-fee building and construction courses on offer in 2026.
"Only the Cook Labor Government will make the investment needed to support TAFE and enable it to deliver the education Western Australians deserve.
"With only 10 days left before applications for competitive courses close, I encourage everyone planning to train at TAFE in 2026 to consider their options today."
As stated by Housing and Works Minister John Carey:
"Our government is doing everything it can to ensure all Western Australians have a place to call home, and key to this is growing our housing construction workforce.
"WA leads the nation in dwelling starts and the number of new homes completed has reached an eight-year high - but we never draw a line in the sand.
"In 2025, we've been delivering critical trades pre-apprenticeships as fee-free courses, which has allowed Western Australians to get the skills they need to get started in a career in our State's building and construction workforce.
"We're going further in 2026 and offering five apprenticeship courses fee-free, which will open up apprenticeship pathways to more Western Australians so they can take up training in a trade and pursue a career in building and construction."
