Govt extends cost of living assistance of up to $24.5k for ECEC trainees

Around 38,000 apprentices and trainees across 60 in-demand occupations, including early childhood education and care (ECEC) are now eligible for financial assistance, under the expanded Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans scheme.

The revised program commenced 1 January 2024 and includes non-trade apprentices and trainees for the first time in areas such as ECEC, aged care and disability care.

Eligible apprentices and trainees may apply for loans, which provide cost of living assistance of up to $24,492 interest-free over the course of the apprenticeship.

As encouragement to achieve career goals, apprentices and trainees receive a 20 per cent discount on their total loans when they complete their training.

Approved qualifications in the ECEC space include: 

• Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care 
• Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care 
• Certificate IV in School Age Education and Care 
• Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care 
• Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care 
• Diploma of School Age Education and Care 
• Diploma of School Age Education and Care 
• Diploma of Community Services 

The extension of the loans, the Government said, will particularly benefit women, who make up the majority of non-trade apprentices.

“With critical skills shortages in sectors like early childhood education, aged care and disability care, it’s never been more important to support priority apprentices and trainees to complete their studies,” Federal Minister for Skills and Training, the Hon Brendan O’Connor said. 

This support is structured to provide the greatest assistance in the early years of an apprenticeship, when wages are lowest.

Increasing access to Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans is part of the Albanese Government’s drive to ease cost of living pressures, lift apprenticeship completion rates, increase diversity among the apprentice workforce and help ease Australia’s critical skill shortages.

Information on eligible apprenticeships and traineeships, selected as part of the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List, can be found here.