Morrison Government’s JobTrainer passes 230,000 enrolments
The Morrison Government’s JobTrainer program has surpassed 230,000 course enrolments since it was announced. The significant milestone demonstrates JobTrainer is seeing hundreds of thousands of Australians make use of the skills and training pathways guaranteed through record levels of federal funding. It is a key part of the Morrison Government’s effort to secure a new pipeline of skilled Australian workers in support of our economic recovery from COVID-19.
JobTrainer, announced in July 2020, funds free or low-fee training for job seekers and young people, including school leavers, to upskill or reskill in areas of identified skills need. Building on the initiative’s initial success, the Morrison Government committed a further $500 million to extend and expand the Fund by two years in the 2021-22 Federal Budget, subject to agreement with states and territories.
Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business, Stuart Robert, said surpassing 230,000 JobTrainer enrolments marks a significant milestone and shows the program is meeting the needs of Australians who want to reskill and upskill, particularly women.
‘JobTrainer is supporting Australia’s next generation of skilled workers, it is equipping Australians with the skills needed to support businesses across the country,’ Minister Robert said.
‘With hundreds of thousands of enrolments since July 2020, it is clear JobTrainer is future-proofing the careers of Australians and helping to position our economy to bounce back from the impacts of the pandemic.
‘It is pleasing to see that women make up more than half of the enrolments and that critical industries like care, health and trades are among the most popular course choices—it is great news for both Australian job seekers and Australian businesses.’
The Morrison Government has also today released the top JobTrainer courses across the country. Five of the 10 most popular JobTrainer courses have been in qualifications related to care sectors, including aged care, disability care and early childhood care.
The JobTrainer Fund is delivered under partnership between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments. Since the extension to JobTrainer was announced in the 2021-22 Budget, all States and Territories have indicated an intent to participate. To find out more information on free or low-fee courses offered through JobTrainer, visit www.yourcareer.gov.au/jobtrainer
Background
As part of the 2021-22 Budget, the Australian Government announced an additional $500 million Commonwealth contribution, to extend and expand the JobTrainer Fund over two years, with matched contributions from state and territory governments.
Subject to finalising ongoing discussions with states and territories, this will create a $1 billion extension to the existing $1 billion partnership. The extension of JobTrainer will support around 163,000 additional free or low fee training places, including 33,800 reserved to support training in aged care and 10,000 in digital skills to strengthen Australia’s digital workforce.
As at 31 July 2021, there have been 239,290 enrolments in JobTrainer funded training places. Around 55 per cent of total enrolments have been by women and around 48 per cent of total enrolments have been by young people aged 17–24.
JobTrainer Case Studies:
Individual case study
Lachlan Leidl completed an NSW JobTrainer pre-employment course through TAFE NSW, which led not only to a Statement of Attainment in Introduction to Fabrication and Welding but also to his current first year apprenticeship.
‘I finished school in Wagga in 2020, went straight into the pre-employment course and then started work straight away,’ says Lachlan.
He had just finished year 12 when he heard through a friend about an opportunity to gain some skills and experience in the engineering/manufacturing industry through JobTrainer. Curious to find out more about the industry and deciding that he didn’t want to “just do nothing” when school finished, but rather build some skills that would lead to a good career pathway, he signed up.
The course included work experience, which resulted in the offer of an apprenticeship from his current employer. ‘I learnt some basic skills that I could use immediately in the workplace, which ensured they knew I could do tasks safely and be useful to them straight away,’ says Lachlan.
‘Without the course I may not have thought this industry was for me. Throughout school, I thought I wanted to be a mechanic. I now see a long future in the engineering industry. It has so many opportunities right across the world. The job security and pay are also very attractive.’
He now plans to complete his apprenticeship and open his own structural welding business in the future.
Industry case study
De Martin & Gasparini, one of the largest concrete placement and pumping companies in NSW, decided to participate in the Sydney Football Stadium (SFS) Aboriginal Pre-Employment Program – a NSW JobTrainer initiative co-ordinated through John Holland, the stadium reconstruction builder – in December 2020.
Participants completed a total of nine NSW JobTrainer courses on a range of topics including carrying out measurements and calculations, reading and interpreting plans and communicating in the workplace.
Designed to provide young Indigenous Australians with an opportunity to kick start their construction careers, the program offered a young Aboriginal person an opportunity to work with the company on the Sydney Football Stadium project. The program was also in recognition of the importance of the game to the community and the Aboriginal players who had come through the former stadium.
It resulted in the direct hiring of one of the program’s graduates. The fee-free and low fee training options provided under NSW JobTrainer meant a low risk approach to trying out and preparing participants for potential employment with the company.
As Tony Malek, NSW JobTrainer project manager of De Martin & Gasparini explains, ‘In this industry we usually look for experience and primarily by word-of-mouth. We rarely bring people in we don’t know. A lot of time and effort goes into bringing them up to speed.’
But through participating in the program, ‘we were able to meet with the candidates and get to know them. By the time they finished they were prepared and ready to start with basic industry knowledge and awareness, skills, and tickets.’
‘This saved us money and time which is important on a big project like the Sydney Football Stadium which is complex and fast paced.’
As Tony Malek declares: ‘We couldn’t be happier with the young graduate we employed from the program. He has a great attitude and is a good worker and we’re training him up to be a concreter. Before this he had never worked and now, he’s on his way to a career in the industry, the pre-employment program has really worked for us.’
JobTrainer Top Courses as at 31 July 2021 – National, State and Territory
| National - Top 5 Courses |
|---|
| Certificate III in Individual Support |
| Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Diploma of Nursing |
| Certificate III in Community Services |
| NSW - Top 5 Courses |
|---|
| Certificate III in Individual Support |
| Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Statement of Attainment in Construction Entry Level (White Card) |
| Certificate III in Community Services |
| Certificate III in Business Administration |
| VIC - Top 5 Courses |
|---|
| Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Certificate III in Individual Support |
| Diploma of Nursing |
| Certificate IV in Disability |
| NT - Top 5 Courses |
|---|
| Food Handling |
| Customer |
| Espresso Machine Operation |
| Traffic Controller Skill Set |
| Agricultural Chemical Skill Set |
| QLD - Top 5 Courses |
|---|
| Certificate III in Individual Support |
| Certificate III in Hospitality |
| Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Diploma of Nursing |
| SA - Top 5 Courses |
|---|
| Certificate III in Individual Support |
| Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Diploma of Nursing |
| Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways |
| Certificate IV in Information Technology |
| WA - Top 5 Courses |
|---|
| Certificate III in Individual Support |
| Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care |
| Certificate III in Community Services |
| Certificate III in Hospitality |
| Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations |
| ACT - Top 5 Courses |
|---|
| Training in Introduction to Organisational Cyber Security [extract from 22334VIC] |
| Certificate III in Information, Digital Media and Technology |
| Preparatory Skill Set for Professional Graphic Design Practice |
| Certificate III in Fitness [Gym Instructor] |
| Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care |