{"id":20997,"date":"2023-04-26T17:42:21","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T17:42:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=20997"},"modified":"2023-04-26T17:42:21","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T17:42:21","slug":"fee-free-tafe-supports-the-next-generation-of-the-hunters-workforce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2023\/04\/26\/fee-free-tafe-supports-the-next-generation-of-the-hunters-workforce\/","title":{"rendered":"Fee-Free TAFE supports the next generation of the Hunter\u2019s workforce"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>New data reveals strong enrolments in Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education courses across New South Wales, thanks to a landmark agreement between the Australian and New South Wales Government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Australian Government partnered with the NSW Government to invest $319 million in the state, as part of a 12-month Skills Agreement, to deliver up to 120,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education places in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New figures show that about 65,000 students have enrolled in TAFE NSW under the Fee-Free initiative, highlighting the demand for education and training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hunter students enrolled in Fee-Free TAFE courses save thousands of dollars on their course fees, helping relieve the cost of living pressures. For instance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A student studying a Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) will save up to $8,220.<\/li><li>A student studying a Diploma of Information Technology (Cyber Security) will save up to $4,060.<\/li><li>A student studying a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care will save up to $4,970.<\/li><li>A student studying a Certificate III in Electrotechnology (Electrician) will save up to $3,960.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We also know that clean energy industries are the future for our workers, and include solar installation, large-scale renewable projects, electric vehicles, green hydrogen, and renewable manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why the Australian Government is spending $95.6 million over nine years to support 10,000 New Energy Apprenticeships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are currently 6,635 apprentices in training in the Hunter, including New Energy apprentices who commenced from 1 January 2023, who can receive up to $10,000 over the course of their apprenticeship to assist with the cost of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether in the care sector, agriculture, hospitality and tourism, construction, or technology, it remains vital that we continue to deliver skills training in an effective and accessible way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O\u2019Connor<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFee-Free TAFE is focused on identified priority courses in areas experiencing skills shortages right now. These courses will lead to jobs needed most by employers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Albanese Government is spending $95.6 million over nine years to support 10,000 New Energy Apprenticeships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey could be electricians rewiring homes for rooftop solar, batteries and efficient appliances, or machinists and metal fitters maintaining gearboxes at offshore wind farms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon MP<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe courses offered through Fee-Free TAFE align directly with areas where we need thousands more workers, but importantly offer a critical value-proposition, in this current economic climate, where financial barriers are removed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fee-Free TAFE represents opportunity for workers in our local Hunter region, both in existing industry and those preparing for emerging occupations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Tim Crakanthorp<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Minns Labor Government has been elected to return TAFE to the heart of the vocational education system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe have started to work closely with Minister O\u2019Connor and the Albanese Government to support TAFE. Fee-Free TAFE is critical to that success.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New data reveals strong enrolments in Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education courses across New South Wales, thanks to a landmark agreement between the Australian and New South Wales Government. The Australian Government partnered with the NSW Government to invest $319 million in the state, as part of a 12-month Skills Agreement, to deliver up to &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2023\/04\/26\/fee-free-tafe-supports-the-next-generation-of-the-hunters-workforce\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Fee-Free TAFE supports the next generation of the Hunter\u2019s workforce&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-newcastle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20997","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20997"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20997\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20998,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20997\/revisions\/20998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}