A new skills deal made with the Federal Government will provide immediate support for 1500 Fee-Free TAFE places for the NT in 2023, to develop the Territory’s Workforce.

The agreement will inject a further $9.4 million into the Territory’s skills and vocational education and training sector.

This investment provides immediate support for up to 1500 Fee-Free TAFE and Vocational Education and Training (VET) places, including for students in Solomon, which will be offered in the hospitality and tourism, care sectors including aged care, agriculture, technology and digital, construction, sovereign capability, and other priority sectors including foundation skills.

The course list will see approximately 600 Fee-Free places in the care sector, 200 places in construction, 150 places in agriculture, 120 places in Hospitality and Tourism, 80 places in Transport, Logistics and Manufacturing, 50 places in the Technology and Digital Sector and a further 300 places for other critical sectors, including foundation skills.

The 12-month Skills Agreement is the first stage of delivering on the skills commitments in the Australian Government’s Future Made in Australia Skills Plan. It also confirms TAFE, public and private providers’ role in the VET sector, increasing opportunities and workforce participation of priority groups, while addressing critical skills gaps in the economy.

For more information visit www.nt.gov.au/learning

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

The Australian Government recognises the urgency of the skills crisis facing the nation, and the challenges particular to the Northern Territory, which is why this Agreement is so important.

If we want to provide greater opportunity in the Northern Territory for secure and rewarding employment, we must be able to skill and reskill our workforce.

Whether it’s a need to build our care sector, construction, hospitality and tourism, or technology and digital sectors, we need to deliver these skills at a time of acute skills shortages.

Quotes Attributable to Luke Gosling OAM, Member for Solomon:

Along with tackling skills shortages, these places will benefit Darwin and Palmerston by providing opportunities for school leavers, workers wanting to retrain or upskill, and unpaid carers – who are predominantly women – to get back into the workforce.

The Albanese Government is investing in our greatest resource – our people – to give them the skills and training they need today and to harness the jobs and opportunities of the future.