Upskill training in Australia during COVID-19 with Academia

Thanks to COVID-19 lockdown, you have more time to think about your career.

What’s more, you also have more time to think about your skills, and whether or not they’re up-to-scratch for today’s competitive job market.

Given the circumstances, it’s easy to be pessimistic. However, it also presents an opportunity to upskill and train!

Are you one of the many Victorians who’s decided to make the most of the situation by upskilling during lockdown? If so, what are your options?

Read on to discover upskill training in Australia with Academia – and FREE TAFE equivalent courses!

There’s never been a better time for upskill learning in Australia

FREE online TAFE equivalent courses mean that now’s the perfect time to upskill

Among the many programmes created after the pandemic began is the federal government’s JobTrainer program, designed to provide affordable upskill training to Australians who want to learn new skills or find pathways into new industries.

In addition to JobTrainer, Victorians who meet certain criteria also have access to highly subsidised or free TAFE equivalent courses in Victoria under the Skills First Funding program.

Both of these schemes are exactly what you need to secure your position and upskill during the economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

How it works

Just like many other parts of our lives, the way learning works has had to change thanks to the pandemic.

If you choose now to upskill, you might find that you need to prepare yourself for a very different way of learning compared to what you’re used to.

Luckily for you, our online learning system is set up in a way that replicates in-person classes as much as possible.

Instead of a recorded lecture and an email with a worksheet attachment, our online learning system:

Uses a virtual whiteboard that facilitates collaboration
Allows you to create private chats to do group work
Is completely archived, with recordings for you to refer back to

While it’s different from what you might be used to, it’s also much more effective than what you’re probably expecting if you’ve decided to retrain or upskill!

Now presents a great opportunity to upskill!

When was the last time you thought about upskilling?

If you’re like most people, it’s probably been a while – between work, family, and your other commitments, you don’t exactly have a lot of time to dedicate towards improving your skills.

Continuous training and development have been part of upskilling, and the good thing about it is with the use of technology, the process of acquiring new skills has never been the same as before.

Upskilling can help you move up in your career – and now’s the perfect time to do it.

What are the advantages of upskilling during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Keep up with the ever-changing job roles

If there’s one that employers are looking for, it’s multi talented employees with a broad range of different skills and experiences that they can bring to the table.

While you can acquire those skills and experiences on-the-job, many roles don’t give you many opportunities to do so.

And what if you want to break into a position that’s in a completely different industry?

Our free TAFE equivalent courses cover a range of industries and specialisations, allowing you to keep up with the increasingly stringent demands of employers, giving you a leg up should you want to change career (more on that below!) or upskill.

Break into new industries

It isn’t like the old days where you could turn up to a business, chat to the manager and have a job by the end of the day. Nowadays, employers are considerably pickier when it comes to hiring.

Many industries that previously only required a solid resume now require formal qualifications:

Aged care
Childcare
Hospitality management

If you want to break into one of these high-demand industries, you’ll need to get qualified first. And if you’re coming in as an outsider, that means upskilling.

Luckily for you, courses for each of these industries (as well as many others) are heavily subsidised or free under both JobTrainer and Skills First Funding.

Job security

If there’s one thing that’s on everyone’s mind at the moment, it’s job security.

The pandemic has made a lot of us realise how important job security is, as well as what we can each do to make our positions more secure for the next major downturn or upheaval.

And not just pandemics, either – a downturn in business, a change in direction, or redundancies can all force you out of a job.

If you’re worried about job security, upskilling and getting an extra certification can be a big help in helping you keep your position – not only that, but it also ups your promotion potential.

What should you do before you start your free online TAFE/vocational course?

Count the cost

While time and availability are important considerations when deciding whether or not you’ll be able to upskill, there’s also the question of finances.

Thanks to schemes like JobTrainer and Skills First funding, it’s possible to complete an online course without paying a cent!

If you fall into one of the eligible categories, you’ll be able to retrain or upskill without the financial burden, making it easier than ever to get the skills you need to survive in the job market.

Research your options

There are many courses that are eligible for government funding. Which one you choose is entirely up to you, so you’ll want to do your homework properly.

To start with, consider looking at a list of eligible TAFE equivalent courses under both JobTrainer and Skills First funding.

Once one catches your eye, you’ll want to visit the websites of different institutions to find out:

What units each course includes
How long it’ll be
Whether or not they come with any work placement requirements

On top of looking for information about your free online TAFE/vocational course, you’ll also want to look into what each institution brings to the table.

Enrol in one of Academia’s free online TAFE equivalent courses

You’ve decided that you want to upskill and learn. You’ve chosen a free online TAFE/vocational course that will help you achieve your career goals.

The final step is to enrol.

Whether you’re looking to develop your skills or break into a new industry, you’ll need help.

Our friendly course advisors are more than happy to help you through the enrolment process, walking you through each step and answering any questions you might have about your course.

Upskill and learn with Australia’s best medium-sized institution

If you’re thinking of upskilling during lockdown, then Academia is the perfect place for you!

It isn’t just our online learning system, or online resources – it’s our size, too.

As a medium institution, we’re able to offer both local students like you who are upskilling and international students alike the types of resources that are typical of a larger institution.

At the same time however, we’re able to give you a level of one-on-one support and attention that’s typically only found at smaller institutions.

It’s the best of both worlds – and it’s what you’ll enjoy if you choose to upskill with Academia!

Want to study online? Explore our courses, from English to Commercial Cookery, Aged Care, and Childcare.

If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to contact us: