Skills boost: 1900 places studying agriculture set to be offered for free as part of landmark skills agreement

A much-needed 1900 TAFE and vocational education places focused on agriculture will be free for WA students next year thanks to a one-year deal between Mark McGowan and the Commonwealth. The arrangement forms part of a move to make 18,800 fee-free places available to Western Australians next year in industries where workers are needed most. It is hoped the deal will help address the skills shortage crisis crippling WA, and comes after the extent of the jobs desperately needing to be filled across the State was laid bare in new Federal Government figures this month. The WA Government is the second state, after South Australia, to sign on the dotted line for a 12-month landmark skills agreement which will inject more than $112 million into the WA skills and training sector. The fee-free places include 8500 places in the care sector, 2400 in technology and digital, 1900 in agriculture, 1500 in construction, 1400 in hospitality and tourism, 300 in sovereign capability including manufacturing, and 2800 in other industries. Premier McGowan said his Government was committed to providing opportunities for West Australians to reskill and upskill people for work in priority sectors. “I thank the Commonwealth for this joint investment in fee-free TAFE for West Australians next year, and thank them for quickly reaching an agreement at a time when skills are in such demand across Australia,” Mr McGowan said. “This new 12-month skills agreement with the Commonwealth builds on the WA Government’s strong track record of supporting individuals and the State’s priority workforce through free and low-fee training.” The struggling skills sector heavily relies on immigration, with the number of international students living in Australia heading towards pre-pandemic levels — and more than 20,000 arriving so far this year are based in WA. This is compared to 42,390 coming to the State in the same time period in 2019. Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor said the new agreement would increase opportunities and workforce participation of priority groups, including First Nations Australians, young people aged 17 to 24, people out of work or receiving income support, unpaid carers, women undertaking study in non-traditional fields, people with disability, and certain categories of visa holders. Part of the deal also includes $8.2 million to improve training facilities in WA — at Midland TAFE, METRONET Trade Training Centre, Bentley Pines Training Restaurant and to build a new trade training centre at Ellenbrook Secondary College — as well as $900,000 for essential VET data infrastructure reform. All State and Federal governments have also agreed to a vision statement and guiding principles for longer-term VET reform to commence in 2024. AGRICULTURAL-RELEVANT COURSES FREE IN 2023