Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Education and Training, 11 May 2020
Supporting Tasmanians to SKILL UP
The Tasmanian Government is committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of all Tasmanians as we face the challenges of COVID-19 together.
Through TasTAFE, we are working to support redundant and unemployed Tasmanians re-enter the workforce through the creation of ‘SKILL UP for your future’.
The program will enable Tasmanians to quickly upskill, reskill or gain new skills, ready to enter into employment or change careers once the economy starts to recover from COVID-19.
Importantly, in response to the exceptional circumstance and to support as many Tasmanians as we can, many of these skill sets will not incur a fee.
A suite of online short courses and skill sets have been developed, specifically focused on transferable skills useful to employers across various jobs and industries, as well a skills to support people to successfully enter into employment.
TasTAFE teachers have developed a number of new online courses tailored specifically at providing Tasmanians with job ready skills, in areas such as health, business, ICT and tourism and hospitality.
Courses will take a few days to just weeks to complete, enabling Tasmanians to quickly acquire new skills and assist in building their confidence as they seek new employment opportunities.
This program is in addition to support already been provided through our Rapid Response program which is helping those made redundant as a result of COVID-19 to retrain.
Eligible Job Seekers are able to immediately access up to $3,000 which can be used to pay for training from any training provider, career and employment advice to help choose the best pathway available, and it can also cover the cost for work or safety gear if required.
Editor’s note: the SKILL UP courses, at time of posting, are not yet on the www.tastafe.tas.edu.au site.
Michelle O’Byrne MP, Shadow Minister for TAFE, University and Skills, 11 May 2020
Liberals must adopt full free TAFE policy
- Training critical for COVID-19 recovery
- Free TAFE courses would cover areas of skills shortages
- Liberals shouldn’t need global public health crisis to action good policy
Labor welcomes the Government’s ‘SKILL UP for your future’ program announcement, but believes the Liberals failure to adopt Labor’s full free TAFE policy is a missed opportunity to help Tasmanians into employment.
Shadow Minister for TAFE, University and Skills, Michelle O’Byrne, said skills training will be critical for Tasmania’s COVID-19 economic recovery.
“The success of Tasmania’s COVID-19 economic recovery hinges on getting people back into work,” Ms O’Byrne said.
“Labor welcomes the Government’s ‘SKILL UP for your future’ program but urges the Government to consider policy beyond the immediate aftermath of COVID-19 – including providing free TAFE courses in areas of skills shortages.
“This is something Labor has been calling for the Government to implement for almost a year since announcing a $10 million free TAFE policy to provide 5000 students the qualifications they need to find jobs in our fastest growing industries, including the building and construction, hospitality, aged care and disability services sectors.
“We must do more to connect our schools and training providers with industry and Tasmania’s TAFE system has the potential to be the training engine room of the economy, driving qualifications and employment in a post-pandemic society.
“While Labor welcomes the Liberals announcement to invest in TAFE, it shouldn’t take a global public health crisis for the Government to realise the importance of providing free skills training in areas of skills shortages and demand.”
