23 March 2015
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The Andrews government has announced a $50 million plan to provide training courses to give unemployed Victorians the skills they need.
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The $50 million TAFE Back to Work Fund will fund TAFEs that are struggling financially and help institutes build partnerships with companies in the six growth sectors of the economy identified by the Labor government’s Back to Work Plan to create at least 100,000 jobs.
The fund will offer one-off grants to TAFEs to develop and expand courses that align with the needs of local employers, including those eligible for the Back to Work Scheme.
Grants will also assist in the financial repair of the TAFE sector, laying the ground work for a more solid financial footing and making the sector sustainable in the future. All TAFEs will be invited to apply for the grants.
The announcement comes on the back of a report that found that TAFE enrolments had declined by a third, young people turned away from government subsidised training, and training participation declined across the state, particularly in regional Victoria.
The new fund is in addition to the $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund, which is designed to help institutes to recover from the previous government’s cuts and grow for the future.
Labor’s Back to Work Plan
Six growth sectors of the economy identified by Andrews government:
- Medical technology and pharmaceuticals
- New energy technology
- Food and fibre
- Transport, defence and construction technology
- International education
- Professional services