Apprenticeships and traineeships

Bert Evans Apprentice Scholarship

The 2024 Bert Evans Apprentice Scholarships is a $2.25 million program, which will support 150 New South Wales (NSW) apprentices experiencing financial or personal hardship while completing their work and training, with a $15 000 scholarship given over three years. Since 2014, the program has supported over 900 apprentices across NSW, including 275 female apprentices in trade occupations (Gender equality budget statement, p. 47).

Extension of subsidised apprenticeships and traineeships

Additional funding of $8.9 million is allocated to continue fully subsidised training for all apprentices and trainees in NSW, bringing the total expenditure to up to $16.3 million. The Fee-Free Apprenticeships and the Fee-Free Traineeships initiatives will remove student fees of up to $2000 for apprentices and up to $1000 for trainees (Overview: our plan for New South Wales, p. 31; Media release, 18 June 2024; Gender equality budget statement, p. 47).

Payroll tax exemption/rebate

A full exemption/rebate is provided for wages paid to approved apprentices and new trainees under the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 and those employed by approved non-profit group training organisations. The estimated payroll tax expenditure for the two exemptions/rebates is estimated at $68 million for wages paid to apprentices and $51 million for trainees (Budget paper no. 1: Budget statement, p. A2-11).

Vehicle registration rebate

The rebate of $100 for vehicle registration given to first and second year apprentices registered with the NSW Department of Education continues in 2024-25, and is included in the budget under 'Vehicle weight tax - minor tax expenditures < $1 million' (Budget paper no. 1: Budget statement, pp. A2-16-17).

Vocational Training Assistance Scheme

The Vocational Training Assistance Scheme (VTAS) travel and accommodation allowance for apprentices or new entrant trainees who are required to travel more than 120 km round trip to attend day or block-release training continues in 2024-25 (Overview: our plan for New South Wales, p. 48).

Employment

Get Back in the Game

$4.9 million is allocated for the Get Back in the Game program which helps vulnerable teenagers to re-engage with education, training, and employment (Media release, 18 June 2024).

Return to Work Pathways Program

$2 million is allocated in 2024-25 to continue the Return to Work Pathways Program. The program has already supported more than 1000 women to become job-ready and secure sustainable employment (Gender equality budget statement, p. 53).

Industry

The demand for trained workers is continuing to grow, with NSW needing thousands of skilled professionals across health care, hospitality, construction, and emerging sectors like renewable energy (Media release, 18 June 2024).

Fully subsidised training for all apprentices and trainees will be extended, removing barriers for employers and those seeking employment - see the Apprenticeships and traineeships section above for more information (Media release, 18 June 2024).

Subsidised vocational education training is provided for in-demand skills and industries and fee concessions for Commonwealth welfare beneficiaries and people with a disability through the Smart and Skilled program - see the Training providers and programs section below for more information (Overview: our plan for New South Wales, p. 48).

National Agreements

In 2024-25, the Australian Government will provide estimated funding of $731 million to support skills and workforce development services in NSW through the National Skills Agreement and National Partnerships.

National Skills Agreement

Funding from the Commonwealth Government under the National Skills Agreement is estimated at $719 million in 2024-25 (Budget paper no. 1: Budget statement, p. 4-14).

National Partnership Payments

The Commonwealth government estimates that NSW may receive $12 million under the Fee-Free TAFE Skills Agreement, to be determined on the renegotiation of the agreement (Australian Government Budget paper no. 3: Federal financial relations, p. 53).

Training providers and programs

Investing in the teaching workforce

To attract and retain talented teachers in NSW TAFEs, the government has provided the largest pay increase in more than two decades, and $83.1 million is allocated to support increased permanency within TAFE NSW through the conversion of 500 casual teachers into permanent employment (Overview: our plan for New South Wales, p. 31; Media release, 18 June 2024).

Smart and Skilled - Vocational Education and Training (VET) concessions and exemptions

Fee concessions are available to Australian Government welfare beneficiaries, people with a disability, and their dependents and partners, undertaking certificate IV and below qualifications. Fee exemptions are available to students with a disability, as well as their dependents and partners, for their first qualification in a calendar year. Fee exemptions are also available to Aboriginal students. The cost of providing this concession is estimated to be $98 million in 2024-25 (Budget paper no. 1: Budget statement, p. A2-22).

The estimated Smart and Skilled - VET concessions and exemptions in 2024-25 are:

• Skilling for Recovery - Additional full qualifications fee free training places: $1 million
• Skilling for Recovery - Additional fee gap on existing full qualification training places: $5 million
• NSW Fee Free Tranche 2 - Existing fee free full qualification and part qualification: $24 million (Budget paper no. 1: Budget statement, p. A2-22).

TAFE Commission / TAFE NSW

$190 million is allocated to undertake urgent repairs at campuses across the State, upgrade 5000 digital devices and improve Wi-Fi at 40 campuses. The aim of the funding is to provide students with access to the facilities and industry equipment they need to be job ready. The funding in the government's first budget has already delivered upgrades at 111 TAFE campuses, including updating Wi-Fi access at 29 regional campuses (Overview: our plan for New South Wales, p. 31; Media release, 18 June 2024).

The agency expense in 2024-25 for the TAFE Commission is $2.236 million, and $300.6 million capital expenditure (Budget paper no. 2: Agency financial statements, p. 6-1).

Around $206 million is allocated in 2024-25 to fund major works for the TAFE Commission, with $22.6 million allocated to new capital projects, in 2024-25. The funding allocations for the works in progress are:

• $90 million for the Asset Renewal Program (ARP)
• $21.649 million for the Coffs Harbour Optimisation
• $37 million for the Digital Access Foundation
• $828 000 for the Early Childhood Education Centre at Gunnedah Campus
• $545 000 for the Institute of Applied Technology Pilot Program
• $17.782 million for the Kingscliff Campus Expansion
• $638 000 for the Northern Rivers Education, Training and Research Hub
• $2.5 million for the Renewable Energy Training Facility: Wollongong Campus
• $968 000 for the Wetherill Park Electrical Vehicles Training Centre (Budget paper no. 3: Infrastructure statement, p. 4-31).