An investment in additional Fee-Free TAFE places in construction related courses as part of the 2024-25 Federal Budget underscores the commitment at a State and Commonwealth level to reducing national skills gaps contributing to ongoing housing shortages across Australia.

This announcement, along with the addition of housing and construction skills as a priority area for the National Skills agreement, reflects the urgent need to bolster housing supply and aligns closely with the NSW Government's priorities.

This initiative complements the 147,400 Fee-Free TAFE places already provided by the Commonwealth and NSW Governments aimed at removing cost barriers to education and training, including places for apprentices and trainees.

Earlier today, NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan, Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O’Connor and Housing Minister Julie Collins visited TAFE NSW Randwick Campus to meet with students benefitting from these initiatives.

NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said:

"The announcement to invest in the construction sector is a significant step towards addressing the skills gap and supporting housing supply across our state.

“We know that we cannot fix the housing crisis without enough carpenters, builders, electricians and other skilled tradespeople required to build new homes. Fee-Free initiatives to encourage more people into the sector are always welcomed.

“The NSW Labor Government is focussed on building more houses for the people of NSW. I commend the Federal Government's commitment to investing in skills development to ensure more homes can be built and look forward to working collaboratively with our federal counterparts.

“This initiative underscores our shared commitment to equipping our workforce with the necessary skills to meet the demands of our evolving economy and address critical challenges such as housing shortages.”