Rebuilding TAFE will be key to beating skills shortages, SA says

Freya Lucas

Jan 10, 2023

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Over 9,100 South Australian students have received SATAC offers from TAFE SA to pursue study and careers in areas facing skills shortages, including early childhood education and care (ECEC).

“We are thrilled with the response to Fee-Free TAFE and this has contributed to the growth in both application and offer numbers for the semester ahead,” said TAFE SA Chief Executive David Coltman.

The students will start in February, with the incoming student numbers demonstrating an increase of 59 per cent from 2022. As well as ECEC, sectors and industries such as nursing, pathology, dental, IT Networking, aged and disability services, and building, design and drafting are expected to benefit from the numbers of students gaining qualifications through the initiative.

With TAFE SA's rolling intake of applications, further TAFE SA offers will be made weekly from Friday 13 January into courses with vacancies until all applications close for Semester 1 commencements on Friday 21 April 2023. TAFE SA has received over 15,995 applications for this year.

ECEC is one of the most popular courses in 2023, along with nursing, pathology, aged and disability services, management, and dental, – with a number of these courses returned to TAFE by the current Government after the former banned them from being offered in metropolitan areas.

Applications are still open for Semester 1 through SATAC until 21 April 2023. For course and application information, please call TAFE SA on 1800 882 661 or go to the TAFE website.

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