Fee Free TAFE unlocking skills to help build SA’s workforce of the future
Fee Free TAFE SA courses are helping unlock the future for many South Australians – in areas where their skills are needed the most.
SA News
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As the state’s largest Vocational Education and Training (VET) provider, TAFE SA is perfectly positioned to deliver skilled workers to fill the jobs of tomorrow.
While numbers are still being finalised, more than 45,000 students are expected to be enrolled at TAFE SA in 2025, carrying out jobs-focused training – from entry-level certificates to bachelor degrees – across a huge range of industries.
And, with its Fee Free initiative opening career doors for many who may otherwise struggle to afford the training costs, there are opportunities for many more South Australians to access high-level skills in priority growth areas.
TAFE SA chief executive David Coltman says Fee Free TAFE – a joint initiative of the Australian and South Australian governments to provide tuition-free training places to students wanting to train, retrain or upskill – has proved immensely popular since being launched at the start of 2023.
“Fee Free TAFE is fundamentally about removing fee barriers for those students who are looking to either retrain or to get their first job,” Coltman says.
“It’s increased the number of applications we’ve had in every program – every year the demand for those places far exceeds what we have available.
“It means students can study without burden. They leave without a debt or anxiety about how they are going to get a return on their investment, not only of their time but also money.”
And the savings can be substantial.
“A subsidised nursing qualification, for example, can be more than $10,000 in total cost,” Coltman says.
“But, with the fee subsidy that comes with Fee Free TAFE, it can be available to students at no direct cost to them.”
Coltman says about 75 per cent of the 4000 Fee Free placements available each year are directed to students in “priority cohorts” who are often under-represented in the classroom or workforce.
The number of regional enrolments has grown – leading to an increased number of courses on offer in country centres – while female and First Nations people are also well represented in the Fee Free TAFE numbers.
“Fifty eight per cent of the students in Fee Free TAFE are female and we saw an extra 150 First Nations students come through,” Coltman says.
TAFE SA is working closely with industry groups to ensure the right students are in the right courses to meet future employment demands – notably in areas such as information technology, cons-truction and engineering, and aged and health care.
Not all training is available under the Fee Free model.
“The policy that governs Fee Free TAFE establishes which courses are eligible,” Coltman says. “These are the ones that are high-demand and of most strategic significance to South Australia in the coming years. It’s really about building a workforce for the future ... so that, when industry expands or comes to South Australia, we have a workforce ready to go.”
High-demand training presently includes certificate and diploma construction courses, which are included in a “new wave” of Fee Free options available this year.
“We’ve also got information technology and cyber security qualifications, and the engineering ones that lead to advanced trades, while aged care is another big one,” Coltman says.
“With the demand for trained workers out there, people are almost guaranteed a job once they have completed their training.”
TAFE SA was recently named the National Large Training Provider of the Year at the Australian Training Awards, which Coltman describes as a great honour.
“For the students who have made the choice to come and study here, it’s recognition that they’ve made a good choice,” he says. “And, for our staff, it’s validation of some years of very hard work.”
The award also recognised the organisation’s close connection with industry.
“We know what industry wants,” he says. “We’re preparing, not for the jobs of today but for the jobs of tomorrow.
“It means we’re part of the government’s strategic response to the skills-in-workforce crisis, and preparing the South Australian economy to be as bold and robust as it can be.”
Josh’s career takes off into defence space
After a decade working in the retail sector, Josh Kennedy knew he was ready to tackle a fresh challenge.
And, thanks to TAFE SA’s Fee Free initiative, the 29-year-old has now just started the new year in a new career – working as a software configuration analyst with defence giant Lockheed Martin at Mawson Lakes.
It’s a long way from sorting out stationery at Officeworks – and Kennedy is thrilled with how things have unfolded.
“It’s the field I was aiming for,” the Hallett Cove resident says. “I couldn’t be happier ... I was wanting to go into defence. It ticks every single box and I’m very, very grateful for the opportunity to work here.”
Having decided on a change, Kennedy enrolled in the IT Studies Program at TAFE SA’s City Campus in 2023.
He completed a Certificate IV in Information Technology (Programming) under Fee Free TAFE that year and, in 2024, continued as a fee-paying student and completed the Diploma of Information Technology (Advanced Programming).
He says the Fee Free TAFE initiative allowed him the chance to tackle his programming studies “without risk” – and complete his Certificate IV course in a year.
“The biggest advantage for me was that I was able to reduce my hours at work to fully commit to my studies without having to worry about having to work extra to pay off the (course) debt or to find money to pay it upfront,” he says.
“I could fully focus on my study and be successful – I could attend my classes five days a week. I didn’t have to not attend or try to play catch-up because I had to work to keep money coming in.”
Kennedy estimates that as a subsidised student, he would have saved between $4000 to $6000 through the program.
He says his current job will offer fantastic opportunities for career growth.
“I can go into leadership roles, work as a project lead, software engineering/developing roles ... it’s all onwards and upwards really,” he says.
“The defence space here in South Australia is absolutely booming as well. The submarines are a massive benefit.
“There are so many different areas I could go into as a result of doing this course.”
Fee free TAFE explained
Fee Free TAFE and vocational education is a joint initiative of the Australian and South Australian Governments providing tuition-free training places to students wanting to train, retrain or upskill. Thousands of South Australians have enrolled in Fee Free TAFE courses since the launch of the initiative at the start of 2023.
Places are limited.
More than 4000 additional Fee Free TAFE places will be available at TAFE SA each year in 2025 and 2026.
This extension represents a significant investment in training delivery in SA and creates more opportunities for people to access new and high-level skills in priority areas such as:
● Care (aged care, childcare, health care, disability care)
● Clean energy
● Hospitality
● Technology and digital
● Construction and infrastructure
● Foundation skills
● Agriculture
● Sovereign capability (for example manufacturing, and defence); and
● VET workforce
People from the following groups are strongly encouraged to apply:
● First Nations Australians
● Young people (aged between 17 to 24 years)
● People who are out of work or receiving income support payments
● Unpaid carers
● Women facing economic insecurity
● Women undertaking study in non-traditional fields
● People with disability including autism and neurodivergence
● Certain categories of visa holders
● Fee Free TAFE is intended for new students to the course being offered.
To be eligible for Fee Free TAFE, at the time the course commences, you must:
● Live or work in South Australia
● Be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent Australian resident or an eligible visa holder
● Be aged 16 years or over and not enrolled at any school
● Meet any specific academic requirements for individual courses
Depending on the type of training and resources that are required to deliver it effectively, class sizes for any given course may be limited.
Fee Free places are subject to availability at each intake and may be subject to capacity constraints.
Details: tafesa.edu.au
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