Happy 3rd Birthday To Free TAFE
This January marks a new milestone for Free TAFE, with the program celebrating three years since its introduction Australia wide by the Albanese Government.
The program, delivered alongside the state and territories, is opening up access and opportunity for Australians to gain new qualifications through courses that deliver more workers for sectors essential to building Australia and supporting communities.
Free TAFE has seen over 725,000 enrolments around the country since the start of the program, putting hundreds of thousands of Australians on pathways to jobs in nursing, construction, aged care, the tech sector and early childhood education and care.
The program has reached more than 210,000 course completions, with this number set to climb as more students head towards the finish line of their course, including many students who are studying part-time alongside work and family responsibilities.
Caitlin, a single mum and Navy veteran from just outside Canberra, recently completed her Free TAFE nursing course. Free TAFE has enabled her to pursue her new career, while also helping save money to put towards her son's after school activities.
Bradley from South Australia is a young father who was able to return to study because of Free TAFE. He says it has allowed him to pursue his new career without worrying about whether or not he can afford to study, years after leaving high school.
The Albanese Government has now made Free TAFE permanent and hundreds of thousands of Australians are embracing it by enrolling - yet the Liberals and Nationals continue to oppose Free TAFE.
They voted against making Free TAFE permanent prior to the last election, with the current Opposition Leader Sussan Ley claiming 'if you don't pay for something, you don't value it', tying Free TAFE to the Liberals' cuts plan for so-called 'wasteful spending'.
Since the last election the Liberals have indicated they're keeping Free TAFE on their chopping block - making it clear that they do not support the program that has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:
"Happy Birthday to Free TAFE - in three years it's helped to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians, and helped in turning around skills shortages.
"The numbers don't lie. Hundreds of thousands of Australians have said yes to Free TAFE and yes to the incredible new opportunities a TAFE qualification offers them - like Caitlin, a proud Free TAFE nursing student who completed her course last year and is now getting to work in her fantastic new career.
"It defies belief that the Liberals and Nationals continue to stand against Free TAFE, in spite of the Australians who've benefitted, and at odds with their own colleagues in state and territory governments who are working with the Albanese Government to deliver Free TAFE."
https://ministers.dewr.gov.au/giles/happy-3rd-birthday-free-tafe
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