The State Government’s fee-free TAFE initiative and progress in rebuilding TAFE is playing a key role in addressing skills shortages.

Over 9100 South Australian students received SATAC offers from TAFE SA to pursue study and careers in areas facing skills shortages.

For students starting in February, 9190 offers have been made so far, an increase of 59% from last year.

The offers are across careers and industries such as nursing, pathology, children’s education, dental, IT Networking, aged and disability services, and building, design and drafting.

The initiative is also having a positive effect in Mount Gambier as TAFE SA has seen a 22% increase in applications for courses at the campus compared to the same time last year.

The top five courses at Mount Gambier are Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability), Individual Support (Ageing), Early Childhood wEducation and Care and Beauty Services and Diploma of Nursing.

TAFE SA chief executive David Coltman said he was thrilled with the response to fee free TAFE and this had contributed to the growth in both application and offer numbers for the semester ahead.

“Fee free TAFE removes the fees for students undertaking much needed skills training,” he said.

“If anyone across the Limestone Coast has ever thought about undertaking study at TAFE SA now is the time to apply.

“There is a wide range of fee free courses being offered on campus at Mount Gambier in areas including hospitality, cookery, and aged and disability services, through to early childhood education and care, and agriculture and horticulture.

“The fee free TAFE places will help us get more people trained across the Limestone Coast and into the workforce and we are excited about what this initiative means for the state.”

With TAFE SA’s rolling intake of applications, further offers will be made weekly into courses with vacancies until all applications close for semester 1 commencements on Friday, April 21.