Free TAFE expands access to Victorian early childhood qualifications

The Victorian Government’s Free TAFE program has supported more than 212,000 students to train for in-demand jobs, including qualifications in early childhood education and care, without the burden of tuition fees.

Since launching in 2019, the initiative has saved students a combined $674 million in course fees, with an average saving of $3,000 per enrolment. The program now includes more than 80 qualifications and short courses across a range of sectors, including early childhood, construction, aged care, and clean energy.

Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney joined students and training providers at Parliament House on Tuesday 9 September, to launch a new public awareness campaign, Free TAFE Makes It REAL, which showcases the lived experiences of graduates and the real-world impact of the program.

Under the Free TAFE initiative, students can access both the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, opening up pathways into the sector at no cost to the learner.

In 2024, enrolment figures showed the program is also improving access for underrepresented groups:

• 11 per cent of students identified as people with disability
• 20 per cent were experiencing unemployment
• 59 per cent were women

The program allows eligible Victorians to enrol in multiple courses within the same priority pathway, regardless of previous qualifications.

The government has positioned Free TAFE as a long-term strategy to meet skills needs across essential industries, including the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector, where workforce shortages continue to be a national issue.

Further information on available qualifications, including early childhood education and care courses, is available at vic.gov.au/free-tafe-courses.