❓ The Premier responds to questions regarding the Free in '23 TAFE program, highlighting its success in boosting skills and addressing workforce constraints, while contrasting it with the previous government's approach to TAFE funding.
AnsweredQoN 664Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TAFE — FREE IN '23 COURSES
664. Mrs L.A. MUNDAY to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
sustained efforts to boost training and skills in Western Australia.
(1) Can the
Premier update the house on the government's partnership with the
federal government to deliver fee-free TAFE courses?
(2) Can the
Premier also outline how this initiative will help Western Australia meet its
demand for skilled workers in key industries?
664. Mrs L.A. MUNDAY to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
sustained efforts to boost training and skills in Western Australia.
(1) Can the
Premier update the house on the government's partnership with the
federal government to deliver fee-free TAFE courses?
(2) Can the
Premier also outline how this initiative will help Western Australia meet its
demand for skilled workers in key industries?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the important question. We
know that workforce constraints are one of the biggest restrictions on
our economy. Getting Western Australians skilled up and ready to go to take advantage of these great job opportunities is a key
priority for my government. I was delighted to be at the North
Metropolitan TAFE today with the Minister for Training, the federal Minister
for Early Childhood Education, and the federal member for Perth, Hon Patrick
Gorman, to talk about our new round of fee-free TAFE courses. It was great to
be there with the students enrolled in certificate III courses in surveying and
spatial information services. The Minister for Training and I had the
opportunity to talk to a young student, Nian Chao, who was studying at
university last year. She realised it was not the thing for her, and did not
think the standard was that great, either. She understood it was going to cost
her about $20 000 for her three-year course. She was attracted by the idea of
being able to go to TAFE to take one of these priority courses and do it free
of charge.
I am so proud of the work the
Minister for Training has done under our Free in '23 agreement with the
federal government to create these fee-free courses. The 12-month program was a
$112 million funding agreement to deliver fee-free training in 130 courses and
skill sets in 2023. We estimated that somewhere between 18 000 and 20 000 people would take advantage of these courses.
Ultimately, over 34 000 took the step
to become part of this great cohort—whether it is in early childhood
education, hospitality, engineering or in this case surveying and
spatial information services. They are incredibly important. These people step
straight into jobs. It is very exciting to be able to see them on that journey.
I was very fortunate to be there
today with the ministers when we announced an agreement with the Albanese
government to commit to not only Free in '23 but to do more in '24!
This new agreement will apply across 130 courses in 2024. We will continue to
focus on in-demand skills such as construction, early childhood education and
care, health care, hospitality and agriculture. That comes on top of our Lower
Fees, Local Skills initiative, which reduced fees for a range of priority
courses by up to 72 per cent.
Let
us think about the context for this, because it is very important. When in
opposition, we saw a Liberal– National government hike TAFE fees
over a number of years. In some cases, fees went up by 500 per cent. Not only
did that exclude a whole range of people in the community from taking up these
courses, it also decimated our TAFE enrolments, which meant we were
interrupting the pipeline of skills that our industries need. It was such a destructive
program, and thank goodness we now have a Labor government that is reversing
it. In the first instance, we froze TAFE fees as part of our attempts to
continue to make TAFE more affordable. We introduced the Lower Fees, Local
Skills program, which cut fees by up to 72 per
cent in targeted courses. We undertook a significant redevelopment of our TAFE
system with over $146 million worth of reconstruction and redevelopment
of TAFEs right across the state to make sure that they were fit for purpose and
that students were job ready. Now we have Free in '23, which is making
a whole raft of courses free of charge.
I provide an example of the
difference between a Liberal–National and a Labor government's
treatment of TAFE education. After the wreckage of the former government's
training and workforce development programs, a nursing diploma cost $10 000.
Now, before they get to the subsidies and so forth, it costs $2 000. That has
made nursing diplomas affordable for a whole new range of people. As we all
know, the state needs nurses so this is a really important initiative. It is
great particularly for young people who are looking
for an opportunity in life, and we have targeted free courses to more
marginalised members of our community
such as women who are looking to re-enter the workforce, Aboriginal students,
and people from low socio-economic
backgrounds. It makes sure that we continue to put our shoulder to the wheel to
support industry to get the workers they need to grow their businesses.
It continues to make Western Australia a great
place to live, an affordable place to live, and we are very proud of this new
announcement with the federal government.
know that workforce constraints are one of the biggest restrictions on
our economy. Getting Western Australians skilled up and ready to go to take advantage of these great job opportunities is a key
priority for my government. I was delighted to be at the North
Metropolitan TAFE today with the Minister for Training, the federal Minister
for Early Childhood Education, and the federal member for Perth, Hon Patrick
Gorman, to talk about our new round of fee-free TAFE courses. It was great to
be there with the students enrolled in certificate III courses in surveying and
spatial information services. The Minister for Training and I had the
opportunity to talk to a young student, Nian Chao, who was studying at
university last year. She realised it was not the thing for her, and did not
think the standard was that great, either. She understood it was going to cost
her about $20 000 for her three-year course. She was attracted by the idea of
being able to go to TAFE to take one of these priority courses and do it free
of charge.
I am so proud of the work the
Minister for Training has done under our Free in '23 agreement with the
federal government to create these fee-free courses. The 12-month program was a
$112 million funding agreement to deliver fee-free training in 130 courses and
skill sets in 2023. We estimated that somewhere between 18 000 and 20 000 people would take advantage of these courses.
Ultimately, over 34 000 took the step
to become part of this great cohort—whether it is in early childhood
education, hospitality, engineering or in this case surveying and
spatial information services. They are incredibly important. These people step
straight into jobs. It is very exciting to be able to see them on that journey.
I was very fortunate to be there
today with the ministers when we announced an agreement with the Albanese
government to commit to not only Free in '23 but to do more in '24!
This new agreement will apply across 130 courses in 2024. We will continue to
focus on in-demand skills such as construction, early childhood education and
care, health care, hospitality and agriculture. That comes on top of our Lower
Fees, Local Skills initiative, which reduced fees for a range of priority
courses by up to 72 per cent.
Let
us think about the context for this, because it is very important. When in
opposition, we saw a Liberal– National government hike TAFE fees
over a number of years. In some cases, fees went up by 500 per cent. Not only
did that exclude a whole range of people in the community from taking up these
courses, it also decimated our TAFE enrolments, which meant we were
interrupting the pipeline of skills that our industries need. It was such a destructive
program, and thank goodness we now have a Labor government that is reversing
it. In the first instance, we froze TAFE fees as part of our attempts to
continue to make TAFE more affordable. We introduced the Lower Fees, Local
Skills program, which cut fees by up to 72 per
cent in targeted courses. We undertook a significant redevelopment of our TAFE
system with over $146 million worth of reconstruction and redevelopment
of TAFEs right across the state to make sure that they were fit for purpose and
that students were job ready. Now we have Free in '23, which is making
a whole raft of courses free of charge.
I provide an example of the
difference between a Liberal–National and a Labor government's
treatment of TAFE education. After the wreckage of the former government's
training and workforce development programs, a nursing diploma cost $10 000.
Now, before they get to the subsidies and so forth, it costs $2 000. That has
made nursing diplomas affordable for a whole new range of people. As we all
know, the state needs nurses so this is a really important initiative. It is
great particularly for young people who are looking
for an opportunity in life, and we have targeted free courses to more
marginalised members of our community
such as women who are looking to re-enter the workforce, Aboriginal students,
and people from low socio-economic
backgrounds. It makes sure that we continue to put our shoulder to the wheel to
support industry to get the workers they need to grow their businesses.
It continues to make Western Australia a great
place to live, an affordable place to live, and we are very proud of this new
announcement with the federal government.
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