Release type: Media Release

Date:

More Australians completing vocational education and training qualifications

Ministers:

The Hon Andrew Giles MP
Minister for Skills and Training

The rate at which Australians are completing vocational education and training (VET) has increased by nearly 6%, new data from the independent National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) shows.

The VET qualification completion rates 2023 report shows that 47.3% of all VET qualifications were completed by the end of 2023 – up from 41.4% in 2019.

Investing in the VET sector gets results. After a decade of neglect under the Liberals, we’re seeing green shoots.

The Albanese Labor Government is making record investments in the VET sector – with more than 508,800 places filled through our Fee-Free TAFE program.

We’re also taking a cooperative approach, engaging with the states and territories.

The last time the Liberals were in government they ripped $3 billion from TAFE and training over a decade of calculated, systematic neglect.

  • Between 2014 - 2019 they cut:
    • $220 million from trade support loans;
    • $201 million from apprenticeship centres;
    • $160 million from adult migrant English programs;
    • $125 million from apprenticeship incentives;
    • $75 million Industry skills funds.

In contrast Albanese Government has signed the first National Skills Agreement in a decade - which will deliver $30 billion in co-investment with states and territories over five years. That’s on top of $1.5 billion to support Fee-Free TAFE.

The full VET qualification completion rates 2023 report can be found on the NCVER website.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:

“The Albanese Government has been working to rebuild our VET systems after a decade of neglect. We’ve been working closely with the states and territories, as well as listening to industry and workers. We’ve signed the first National Skills Agreement in a decade - which will deliver $30 billion in co-investment with states and territories over five years.

“Every person studying in our VET system has their own story and their own unique circumstances that mean they’re looking for different outcomes when they enrol.

“What we want is for Australians to get the skills they need and the jobs they deserve, and that is what is happening.

“Fee-Free TAFE is such a game changing policy - it’s providing cost-of-living relief while growing the economy. It’s giving Australians the confidence to take on study without the extra pressure that paying for courses can bring.

“It’s absurd and offensive that the Liberals think Fee-Free TAFE is “wasteful spending” and they that they still have no plan or interest in fixing the problems they’ve created. It’s no wonder they left Australia with the worst skills shortage in 50 years.”