Are you eligible for free TAFE equivalent training? Find out here!

Busy planning the next step of your life? If so, there are probably a lot of different questions filling each corner of your mind:

• Which course should you take?
• What’s the minimum qualification for your desired career?
• Will you be able to study full time?

And of course, there’s always the question of cost.

Great news – there are a range of different systems in place to make the process of retraining a lot easier on the financial front, with schemes in Victoria that subsidise a portion of your tuition fees.

In some cases, you might even be able to study for free!

There are a huge number of TAFE equivalent courses that are covered, allowing you to enrol in a course and improve your employment prospects without the financial burden.

Introducing Skills First funding

If you’ve read our blog before, you’ve probably seen this program pop up here and there.

But how exactly does it work?

While this program aims to revitalise Victoria’s training sector by providing support for institutions, the part that’s most relevant to you is subsidies that cover training.

As part of this, certain industry sectors have been singled out as likely to experience considerable growth – many courses related to these sectors are being subsidised to ensure they have enough staff for the future.

And it isn’t just courses related to these six sectors, either – many TAFE equivalent courses are receiving subsidies for their tuition, allowing you to take your career the direction you want without worrying about tuition.

Are there any free TAFE equivalent courses?

Yes, and plenty of them!

As part of Skills First, eligible students can apply for free TAFE/vocational for priority courses.

If you’re accepted, you’ll have tuition completely covered by Victorian government subsidies for any eligible TAFE equivalent courses, allowing you to retrain or study without the associated cost!

What are the free courses available?

The Skills First program specifically identifies six sectors that are going to experience increased growth in the coming years, such as:

• Medical technology and pharmaceuticals
• New energy technology
• Food and fibre
• Transport
• Defence and construction technology
• International education and professional services

Of course, subsidised training isn’t limited to courses directly related to these sectors – many courses are covered under this scheme, including most of the courses on offer at Academia’s Melbourne campus!

How old do you need to be to get into a TAFE equivalent course?

One of the things you’ll notice as you go through the eligibility criteria for Skills First funding (see below) is that it’s open to all applicants below 20 years of age.

But how much lower? How old do you need to be to start a TAFE/vocational course?

Good news: the same age requirements apply if you want to enrol in Victorian government-subsidised training – once you turn 16 and complete year 10, you’re eligible.

Free TAFE course eligibility: who’s eligible for a free TAFE equivalent course?

There are many different moving parts to the Skills First scheme, one of which is free TAFE/vocational training for priority courses.

Just one question: who qualifies for these subsidies?

Under Skills First, Victorian government subsidies are available to:

• Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or New Zealand citizen
• All candidates under 20 years of age
• Candidates 20+ years old who are enrolling in courses at a higher level than their existing qualification

Not to mention, there are certain groups of people who automatically qualify for subsidised training under the Skills First program, even if they don’t fit into the other qualification criteria:

• Asylum seekers
• Young people affected by child protection/youth justice orders and homelessness
• Former automotive workers affected by the end of Australian car manufacturing
• Former workers of the now-closed Hazelwood power plant

If you fall into one of these categories, you may also be eligible for subsidised training, even if you don’t fit the rest of the criteria.

How can Academia help you achieve your dreams?

With a wide range of different courses available at our Melbourne campus – most of which are eligible for subsidised training under Skills First – Academia is a great place to start training for your future.

Better yet, most of our courses are eligible for government funding!

Our institute helps students prepare for a wide range of careers – and we also offer free government funded courses online.

Our online learning system doesn’t just give you the inherent flexibility that comes with remote learning – it’s also purposefully designed to replicate the classroom experience, with:

• Real classes, not pre-recorded lectures
• Small class sizes
• Private chat and video to help you collaborate with other students
• Web-based system means you don’t need to install anything

Subsidised childcare courses

Thanks to the increasing number of dual-income households in Australia, more and more parents are relying on childcare services.

Our subsidised childcare courses can help you get your start in this industry, with both Certificate IIIs and Certificate IVs in Early Childhood Education and Care available.

Whether you’re thinking of getting into this industry or are a current worker who wants to upskill and boost their promotion potential, these courses give you everything you need to kick-start your career.

Learn more about our childcare courses.

Subsidised aged care courses

It isn’t just young children who need care – thanks to Australia’s ageing population, there’s also increasing demand for aged care services too.

Our Certificate III in Individual Support and Certificate IV in Ageing Support give you all of the training you need to work in this rewarding field, preparing you for roles in aged care centres as well as individual in-home care,

Learn more about our aged care courses.

Subsidised commercial cookery courses

It’s Melbourne, after all – when isn’t our hospitality scene growing?

With both a wide range of commercial cookery courses available, we’re the place to go if you want to enter Melbourne’s diverse and highly-competitive hospitality sector.

Our Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery can even be completed alongside one of our hospitality management courses, allowing you to prepare for more senior roles in the kitchen.

Learn more about our commercial cookery courses.

Find out more about free TAFE/vocational courses in Melbourne and eligibility – call Academia today

As with any major life decision, it’s important that you do your research before committing to it.

Need help? Our team is more than willing to help you out.

We’ll help you understand your options, including telling you which of our TAFE equivalent courses are eligible for government subsidies.
Find out what your options are today – call our friendly course advisors on (03) 9671 4755 or click here to enquire online.