The Commonwealth and State Governments today announced a further 2,140 Fee-Free TAFE places will be available in housing and construction in Western Australia.
The additional places are made possible through Commonwealth funding of $9.4 million, as they partner-up with the State to address skills shortages to build the houses that Western Australians need.
From January 2025, 2,140 new Fee-Free TAFE places will be available, including up to 540 pre-apprenticeship places.
The Fee-Free trades pre-apprenticeships will give students an opportunity to learn about a trade such as bricklaying, cabinet-making, carpentry, electrical and plumbing, and prepare them for future employment-based trades apprenticeships.
Western Australians who enrol in the new Fee-Free building and construction courses are set to save up to $1,425 in tuition fees in comparison to 2024 costs, helping to further reduce financial barriers to people engaging in vocational training and joining WA's in-demand construction workforce.
From 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2024, Western Australia has seen 63,489 students enrol in Fee-Free TAFE courses. Over this period, to help areas of high skills need and demand in Western Australia Fee-Free TAFE has supported:
- over 24,900 enrolments in the Care sector
- over 10,500 enrolments in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector
- over 7,100 enrolments in the Technology and Digital sector
- over 3,800 enrolments in the Hospitality and Tourism sector
- over 2,100 enrolments in the Construction sector
There have been over 11,400 regional and remote Fee-Free TAFE students in Western Australia since 1 January 2023.
The announcement today builds on the Commonwealth and State Government's commitment to addressing housing supply as a national priority under the National Skills Agreement.
WA Premier Roger Cook said "My Government continues to work with industry and training providers on the best ways to further grow WA's residential construction workforce."
"This partnership between the Cook and Albanese Governments will add seven more building and construction courses to the Fee-Free TAFE list for 2025, taking the number of Fee-Free construction courses available to people looking to pursue a career in this in-demand sector to 17."
"The Western Australians who take up these opportunities are our future brickies, sparkies, tilers, chippies and plumbers, which is why affordable training is a critical part of our work to boost our State's building and construction workforce's capacity to deliver more homes."
Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles also said, "As I travel around Western Australia at every TAFE I visit, I meet students that tell me what a life changer Fee-Free TAFE has been for them. After a decade of neglect under the Liberals, the Albanese Government is committed to rebuilding the vocational education and training sector."
"We're working together with the Cook Labor Government to help locals skill up and get secure, well-paid jobs in essential sectors like construction. I've been listening to the stories of the unique housing challenges WA faces and these new Fee-Free TAFE places will help Western Australians gain valuable skills and build the homes that are needed."
"The extra $9.4 million funds Fee-Free places to train more construction and housing sector workers and directly contributes to building the homes needed for the Western Australian community.
"Fee-Free TAFE has helped more than 63,000 Western Australian students get a free tertiary education since January last year, building solid skills and a path to a secure, well-paid job."
WA Training and Workforce Development Minister Simone McGurk added, "The State Government wants Western Australians to train, so they can take up jobs in our State's strong economy."
"If we want to build more homes, we need more boots on the ground, and that's why we're providing Western Australians with more affordable training opportunities in trades such as bricklaying, cabinet-making, carpentry, electrical and plumbing."
"Providing these additional Fee-Free training opportunities, in these crucial building and construction courses will help Western Australians save thousands, while getting the fundamental skills they need to get started in the sector's workforce."