Free TAFE courses provide lifeline for Townsville health-care sector

More than 100 Townsville residents are enjoying free TAFE courses to combat a critical skills shortages in the sickly health sector.

Susan Thompson, a Cert III in Visual Arts graduate, Labor candidate for Herbert Edwina Andrew with Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles outside TAFE Pimlico. Picture: Supplied

More than 100 Townsville residents are enjoying free TAFE courses to combat a critical skills shortages in the sickly health sector.

Data supplied by the Albanese Labor Government, which launched the Free TAFE qualifications initiative in 2023, shows that almost 110,000 Queenslanders are taking advantage of the program, including 23,000 in health-related courses.

Of the 108 locals enrolled in courses in the health sector, 10 are completing diplomas of nursing, each saving up to $15,930.

Labor candidate for Herbert Edwina Andrew said North Queenslanders were choosing “Free TAFE as the pathway for them”.

“Whether it’s in a trade, in education, in the care sector or in one of the many other avenues TAFE offers,” she said.

“I’ve spoken to students studying free TAFE right here in Townsville, and they have told me that it has changed their lives.

“I’m so proud to be part of a team delivering for Herbert.”

Susan Thompson, a Cert III in Visual Arts graduate, Labor candidate for Herbert Edwina Andrew with Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles outside TAFE Pimlico. Picture: Supplied

Data from late 2024 shows that there have been more than 568,400 enrolments as Australians take the opportunity to gain vital skills in key areas without bearing additional financial pressures of course fees.

The Albanese Government has also provided $17.7 million in extra funding to deliver an additional 4100 new Free TAFE places in housing and construction from January 2025, including up to 1000 pre-apprenticeship places.

Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles said the government was committed to cost-of-living relief and giving people “the skills they want in the sectors we need through Free TAFE”.

Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union Secretary Sarah Beaman said Townsville’s location meant there were opportunities for graduates ranging from working in communities on the coast to the islands as well as in regional and remote settings.

“Having lobbied for some time for fee-free courses for nurses and midwives, the (we are) delighted to see the increasing number of registered professionals who are now entering the workforce,” she said.

“We know the commitment to opportunities for students, including those from diverse backgrounds will help build a resilient workforce and one that is enabled to move back into community and to support and create long-term positive health outcomes.”

Susan Thompson, a Cert III in Visual Arts graduate, said she would not have considered returning to TAFE if it wasn’t free.

“Free TAFE is good because it’ll give that opportunity to people to retrain,” she said.

“Especially older people, like me, who’ve had a career for a long time and then want to change courses.”

Herbert MP Phillip Thompson says the Federal Government has refused to provide divulge information about the completion rates of the Free TAFE program.

Incumbent Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said that since Labor took office, “we’ve lost 10 per cent of our in-training apprentices here in Townsville,” he said.

“That’s 350 less young people in our training pipeline, which will only lead to more construction delays and cost increases.”

He said Australia was down 80,000 in-training apprentices.

“The Albanese Labor government promised no cuts to skills, but they’ve broken their promise,” he said.

“Now, with Labor’s ‘Free’ TAFE election slogan, taxpayers will be footing another massive bill in this cost of living crisis, and only 13 per cent of those in the TAFE programs are actually completing it, according to the official figures we have so far.”

He said he had written to Mr Giles in November but said he had refused to divulge information about completion rates.

“It’s about time Labor owned up to it: ‘Free’ TAFE is not helping our skills shortage, it’s not free, and our future generations will pay the price for it.”

Originally published as Free TAFE courses provide lifeline for Townsville health-care sector