The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is offering more than 2,500 fee-free training places this year, and Chris Steel, ACT Minister for Skills, and Brendan O’Connor, Federal Minister for Skills and Training, encourage eligible applicants to enrol.
Fee Free TAFE, a jointly funded $16.5 million initiative of the Commonwealth and ACT Governments, provides tuition-free vocational education and training to ACT students wanting to train, retrain, or upskill. Students will need to pay for any learning resources such as textbooks or other equipment required for the course.
Applicants must be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; or disabled; 17 to 24 years old (have finished Year 12 and are not enrolled at school); jobseekers and / or receiving income support; unpaid carers; women experiencing financial hardship; women enrolling in a Certificate II in Construction Pathways or Electronics; or any person enrolling into a care sector course.
“[The] Fee-Free TAFE initiative removes barriers to study and sets students up for employment in industries where their new skills are in high demand,” Mr Steel said.
46 qualifications and pre-apprenticeships are available fee-free at the CIT to eligible students.
The CIT will provide approximately 840 fee-free places in the care sector; 600 in hospitality and tourism; 400 in technology and digital; 50 in construction; 40 in sovereign capability, including space trades; and 600 in other priority sectors, including foundation skills.
Already, 110 people have enrolled fee-free at the CIT; 331 people have applied; and 512 have made enquiries.
“This will ensure access to a wide range of training opportunities in skills needs areas for eligible Canberrans, to support vital and emerging industries in the ACT economy,” Mr O’Connor said.
“Skills shortages are gripping the nation, and the ACT is no exception. It is vital that we support people locally to obtain the skills they need to fill job vacancies.”
Details of fee-free courses and enrolment requirements are at cit.edu.au/study/fee_free_tafe.
