Uni launches short courses to boost post-COVID skills

The discounted courses will help people ready themselves for work again, the university says.

CEO of Lifeline Tasmania, Debbie Evans alongside University of Tasmania Vice-Chancellor Rufus Black as the government and UTAS announced an online short-courses that will help those affected by COVID-19. Picture: Zak Simmonds

SUBSIDISED short university courses have been launched to help those dislocated by the coronavirus epidemic to gain new skills.

The half-price six-month courses, in subjects from counselling and education to small business and applied health would help make people job-ready, University of Tasmania Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black said.

“We want to support the targeted development of a well-trained workforce for the future, one that drives Tasmania’s recovery and increases our resilience as a community.

“These courses will do that. They support critical areas of our workforce across health, education, business, science and engineering as well as mental health and wellbeing, which we know will be key to a successful recovery in Tasmania.”

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The courses are in addition to free courses to hospitality workers announced by the state government in May.

Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff welcomed the announcement.

“The courses will be targeted at critical areas of our workforce such as health, education, business, science and engineering as well as mental health and wellbeing,” he said.

“This initiative complements the Tasmanian Government’s ‘SKILL UP for your future’ program, which through TasTAFE supports Tasmanians to quickly upskill, re-skill or gain new skills ready to enter employment.”

For more information on the UTAS courses visit: utas.edu.au/certificates