Government support

This joint Australian and South Australian Government partnership will create more opportunities for South Australians to access new and higher-level skills in priority areas and for priority groups including Aboriginal people, LGBTIQ+ people, veterans, young people, job seekers, unpaid carers, women in non-traditional fields of study, people with disability and people who are eligible for certain visa sub classes.

Up to 12,500 Fee Free places will be available in courses, including foundation skill courses, and will focus on priority areas including:

• Care industries such as aged and disability care, health care and childcare
• Technology and digital
• Hospitality and tourism
• Construction
• Agriculture
• Defence and manufacturing
• Creative Industries
• Education

Fee Free places are for eligible students enrolling in and commencing a new course in 2023, subject to funding availability. The cost of a course will remain free for the duration of the course.

The Fee Free TAFE course list is now available with other vocational education courses to be announced shortly.

Employers who take on a school-based flexible apprentice can potentially access up to $3,000 as a bonus payment.

If your business is in rural or regional South Australia, or your apprentice needs to travel interstate for specialised training, you can access allowances for travel and accommodation to help offset the cost of sending your apprentice to undertake training.

From 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2024, the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System is providing broad support to the economy through wage subsidies for eligible employers in priority occupations.

Priority occupations are listed on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List, which will be updated regularly.

Support will also be available to employers taking on Australian Apprentices in occupations not listed on the Priority List.

Following the introduction of the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives System from 1 July 2022, employers claiming incentives for an apprentice or trainee who commenced before 1 July 2022 will continue to be supported under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program.

Additional support is available for women who commence in eligible trade occupations on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List. Eligible occupations are those that have had historically low rates of female participation.

Loans will be available to Australian apprentices in the care sector through the expanded and renamed Trade Support Loans scheme, subject to passage of legislation, helping recipients meet day to day costs while undertaking their studies.

There will continue to be support available for students who need to travel to undertake their apprenticeship, through the Living Away from Home Allowance, available to eligible full-time and part-time Australian apprentices, including school-based apprentices, for the first three years of their training.

Additional support is available to Australian Apprentices with disability through the Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support, and is payable to employers apprentices who meet the eligibility criteria at the commencement or during their apprenticeship.