Free TAFE
The Victorian TAFE Network continues to play a central role in the skilling and training of Victorians, with the Victorian Government announcing more than $545 million in funding for the network in the Victorian Budget 2023/24.
Free TAFE(opens in a new window) has supported training in priority areas.
In 2023, more than 80 qualifications and short courses were available through Free TAFE, delivering skills needs across priority sectors such as clean energy, community and care services, information technology, building and construction, hospitality and agriculture.
Since 2019, Free TAFE has enabled more people to participate in training
- 35,621 unemployed Victorians, at the time of training
- 13,371 learners with disability
- 39,982 culturally and linguistically diverse learners
- 82,682 women
- 37,321 learners in regional Victoria.
(Figures represent the increase in participation of the selected cohorts in training at Victorian TAFE Network providers between January 2019 and June 2023).
Wodonga TAFE and Australian Defence Force
Wodonga TAFE has partnered with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to provide technical trades, heavy vehicle and plant machinery, and medic training (Wodonga TAFE (2023), Wodonga TAFE and Australian Defence Force strengthen partnership to deliver technical trades training to Defence personnel across Australia(opens in a new window), June).
In 2023, it secured a new contract with the ADF (valued at $300 million over five years) to expand its training offerings to include both Navy and Army. This will enable thousands of sailors and soldiers to extend their skills in technical trades in the locations where they work and live.
A National Technical Education Network has been set up which includes training providers across Australia, including:
- Wodonga TAFE
- Chisholm Institute
- TAFE Queensland
- Kangan Institute
- Charles Darwin University
- RMIT
- South Metropolitan TAFE.
Wodonga TAFE will lead the delivery of more than 100 accredited and non-accredited courses across construction, engineering, mechanical, electrical and electronics trades to more than 2,000 defence students per year.
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