Funding For South West TAFE To Support Skills And Jobs

An innovative program at South West TAFE will receive $1.6 million in Andrews Labor Government funding to get 270 people skilled up for jobs in growing industries

The Minister for Training and Skills, Steve Herbert, announced the grant from the Labor Government’s $50 million TAFE Back to Work Fund during a visit to the institute’s Warrnambool campus today.

The Labor Government’s funding will allow South West to help tackle youth unemployment in the region by getting young people to participate in traineeships which will see them develop skills to get jobs in the growing administrative and personal services fields.

The $50 million TAFE Back to Work Fund is part of a $350 million funding boost to the TAFE system, delivered in the 2015-16 Victorian Budget. This is in addition to the $20 million fast-tracked earlier this year to shore up the finances of seven financially-vulnerable TAFEs.

The Fund will support projects that allow TAFE institutes to provide training that leads to jobs by working in partnership with local industries, including those identified by the Government’s Back to Work Plan to create 100,000 jobs.

Mr Herbert said training offered by these initiatives would also support employers who plan to hire staff as part of the Government’s Back to Work Scheme, by creating more job-ready skilled workers in growing industries.

The Back to Work scheme provides financial assistance to businesses if they hire unemployed young people, retrenched workers or the long-term unemployed.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert

“TAFEs mean skills and skills mean jobs, which is why this government is investing $350 million to help our TAFEs invest in new facilities and deliver more training.”

“We’re providing more opportunities for Western Victoria locals to get off the treadmill of unemployment and back on the path to work.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney

 “Our young people deserve a bright future and this investment will support South West TAFE to provide more training that will lead to more skills and jobs, right here in the region.”

 “We need to do all we can to make sure people in the South West find the job they want, and this program will certainly help with that.”

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