The Hon Brendan O'Connor MP

Minister for Skills and Training

Member for Gorton

Anne Stanley MP

Government Whip

Member for Werriwa

Your Career is a Journey and There Are Many Pathways

This week is National Careers Week – a great time for anyone in Werriwa to explore their potential new career options or upskill in their industry through study, training and skills.

There are many pathways available to explore new opportunities and making informed decisions is part of the experience. The Your Career website gives Australians of all ages the opportunity to explore career pathways based on their interests, skills, qualifications and location.

National Careers Week is organised by the Career Industry Council of Australia and proudly supported by the National Careers Institute as their premier partner.

We are delivering 180,000 Fee Free TAFE and Vocational Education and Training (VET) places in 2023, along with investing in financial support for apprentices, particularly those choosing to take on a New Energy Apprenticeship.

Our 2023-24 Budget is critical to addressing the nation’s skills challenges. And our new skills investments build on over $400 million provided in our October 2022 Budget for a further 300,000 Fee Free TAFE and VET places in high-skill needs areas from 2024 to 2026 – subject to agreement with states and territories.

Join the more than 100,000 students already taking up TAFE and VET courses, but without a price tag, savings including:

• New South Wales, Clean Energy – A student studying a Certificate III in Electrotechnology (Electrician) will save up to $3,960
• Victoria, Childcare – A student studying a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care will save up to $8,700
• South Australia, Construction – A student studying a Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) will save up to $10,633

Last week’s 2023-24 Budget included a raft of measures to support career improvement ambitions for a huge number of Australians.

The Albanese Government has inherited the most significant national skills shortage in decades and is acting by providing greater opportunities for Australians to acquire the skills they need to secure rewarding and sustainable employment, in priority workforce areas.

Whether it’s in clean energy, the care sector, agriculture, hospitality and tourism, construction, technology, or the need for sovereign capability in manufacturing, we must deliver these skills at a time of acute skills shortages.

Explore the range of possibilities on the Your Career website - yourcareer.gov.au/

Quotes attributable to Brendan O’Connor, Minister for Skills, and Training:

“Fee-Free TAFE is focused on identified priority courses in areas experiencing skills shortages right now. These courses will lead to jobs needed most by employers.

“National careers week is a great event and an opportunity for all Australians to consider their career ambitions.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Werriwa, Ms Anne Stanley MP:

“There are many different career paths, and the journey will be unique to every Australian, no matter their age.

“It has been a gamechanger for residents of Werriwa seeking to get the skills they need for a rewarding change of focus in their working career.”

Media Contact:

Alaa Ahmad (02) 8783 0977