The newly elected Labor government has promised to establish a new vocational education and training body called Jobs and Skills Australia during its first 100 days in office.’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the body would be a national partnership to drive VET education and strengthen workforce planning by working with employers, unions and the training and education sector.”
Albanese said the new body would be based on the model used to establish Infrastructure Australia.
It was created by him as infrastructure minister to provide high level advice from across the sector to set priorities and targets.
TAFE will be at the centre of Labor’s program, with the creation of 465,000 fee free TAFE places, including 45,000 new places.
The fee free TAFE initiative will be structured around areas of highest need.
It will also align to Labor’s Future Made in Australia Skills Plan which has a focus on acute skills shortages in areas such as manufacturing and construction.
TAFE campuses will benefit from the $50 million TAFE Technology Fund which will fund IT facilities, workshops, laboratories and tele-health simulators across the country.
Labor has promised to work with state and territory governments on new opportunities to allow upskilling through accredited microcredentials.
It has also committed to creating 10,000 apprenticeships in renewables and clean energy under the $100 million New Energy Apprenticeships program.
Albanese has also pledged to host an employment summit, bringing together employer groups and unions to look at ways to improve wages and boost productivity.