McGowan Government investing in skilled workforce for future

  • McGowan Government invests $76.5 million in training in the 2022-23 State Budget
  • $38.4 million additional funding for Lower fees, local skills initiative
  • $11 million boost for defence industry’s professional and para-professional workforce
  • $14.3 million to support training in WA’s in-demand construction industry
  • $5.5 million to help mature-aged jobseekers and ex-offenders into jobs
  • $4.9 million in support for Collie workforce transition
  • $2.4 million to attract international students to the regions to help address skills shortages
  • Delivering election commitments to grow WA’s TAFE and training sector
  • Record course enrolments across 2021 helping to address State’s skills needs and prepare Western Australians for local jobs 
  • The McGowan Labor Government is providing more targeted training opportunities for Western Australians to take up quality jobs, with a $76.5 million boost to training in the 2022-23 State Budget.

    This significant investment to build a skilled workforce for the future supports the McGowan Government’s WA Jobs Plan and work to diversify the WA economy and create local jobs.

    Initiatives in the 2022-23 State Budget have been developed to meet skill shortages and informed by ideas and outcomes from the Perth and Regional Skills Summits.

    This includes an additional $38.4 million to keep TAFE fees low and annual fee caps across 210 priority courses through our successful Lower fees, local skills initiative. This initiative has helped training enrolments grow to a record of more than 150,000 places and increased apprenticeships and traineeships by a massive 31 per cent last year.

    The McGowan Government will also invest $11 million to further build the WA defence industry’s professional and para-professional workforce, which is estimated to need more than an additional 1,000 workers by 2027.

    An additional $4.9 million has been provided for the Collie Just Transition Plan, which includes the establishment of a new Jobs and Skills Centre in Collie and a TAFE Transition Team to support affected employees through career and training services.

    A new $5.5 million program will provide expanded jobseeker support to 500 mature-age jobseekers and pilot support for 100 ex-offenders to help them into employment and support their safe transition back into the community.

    Regional communities will benefit from a $2.4 million Regional TAFE International Student Strategy, which responds to feedback received at the 10 Regional Skills Summits held across WA and aims to attract international students to live, work and study in regional WA.

    Commencing in 2023, the initiative will provide 200 places over two years and target in-demand occupations such as aged and disability care, childcare and hospitality and tourism, which have a critical shortage of workers.

    The strategy further supports the McGowan Government’s multi-million dollar Reconnect WA package to support the return of international students and recovery of tourism markets, and secure business events following the reopening of the State’s borders.

    A $14.3 million investment, through the Construction Training Fund, will deliver a suite of new targeted training initiatives to support the development of a safe, skilled and sustainable building and construction workforce.

    The McGowan Government also continues to roll out the TAFE capital works program, with $216 million committed over the next four years to deliver state-of-the-art facilities providing high-quality, industry-relevant training across the State.

    For more information, visit https://www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au

    As stated by Premier and Treasurer Mark McGowan:

    “My Government’s sensible management of the finances enables us to set up WA’s long-term future.

    “Key to WA’s long-term success is having a skilled workforce to take up the jobs we are creating by diversifying our economy, and through our record infrastructure spending.

    “Our significant work over the past five years to revitalise WA’s neglected TAFE and training sector has resulted in significant increases in enrolments – putting more Western Australians on the pathway to quality local jobs and providing skilled workers to support key industries.

    “Thanks to our extensive industry consultation through the WA Skills Summits, the 2022-23 State Budget initiatives will build a workforce for the future.

    “We have already delivered positive outcomes for WA businesses and our most economically vulnerable – this Budget continues that momentum.”

    As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:

    “The McGowan Government has been working directly with industries to support efforts to build a skilled local workforce.

    “Our investment in targeted workforce initiatives and training has been key in building and diversifying Western Australia’s economy and delivering major projects.

    “Training is now significantly more affordable and accessible for Western Australians than it was when we came to Government in 2017, and will continue to be central to our work to invest in and attract new industries to WA, reduce barriers to business growth and deliver a pipeline of work across the State.

    “The initiatives funded in the 2022-23 State Budget will build on this and address issues raised at our WA Skills Summits to deliver more skilled workers to areas of current and emerging need.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.