It's such a privilege to stand in support of this motion from the member for Newcastle to celebrate our awesome Skillaroos. For me, it's particularly exciting given that one of the Skillaroos is from my electorate of Corangamite in Victoria. Trey McAuley is a carpenter from Bannockburn studying at Gordon TAFE. He has amazing talent, and I'm so proud that he had the opportunity to represent our country at the WorldSkills games in Lyon, France, earlier this year. Trey represented Australia alongside 28 other young Australians at the largest international skills competition in WorldSkills history, with more than 1,400 competitors and 1,300 experts from over 70 countries taking part. Competing to be the best in your field can be stressful, but, according to the team at Gordon TAFE, if there's anyone who knows how to keep cool in a high-pressure environment it's Trey. Trey said in a recent interview:
Being a volunteer firefighter and serving my community have really shaped me as a person and helped me to be my best while competing at WorldSkills.
The WorldSkills competition showcases Australian vocational education and training internationally and puts centre stage the government's mission to continue strengthening our world-class VET sector. The Skillaroos are the product and walking proof of the strengths of our VET sector. They demonstrate the life-changing benefits of TAFE for so many Australians, like Trey. That's why the Albanese government is continuing its investment in the skills that Australia needs to drive economic growth, address workplace shortages and provide pathways for more people to pursue a career as a tradie, carer or IT professional.
It's why we've introduced the Free TAFE Bill. The bill will ensure free TAFE is a national and enduring program. Ongoing free TAFE will offer greater certainty to students, employers and industry. It's what our communities have been calling for, and it's what the Albanese government is delivering. Free TAFE is targeting the sectors that desperately need skilled workers. It's growing from strength to strength every day, giving young people and those wanting to transition access to new skills and to gaining accreditation. Fee-free TAFE started in January 2023 and it's exceeded all expectations, with more than 508,000 enrolments, including 131,000 in care, including disability and aged care, 48,900 in digital and tech, 35,000 in construction and 35,500 in early childhood education and care. This is groundbreaking and the result shows fee-free TAFE is particularly benefiting Australians from priority cohorts, with over 170,000 young Australians, 124,000 jobseekers and 30,000 First Nations Australians enrolling in the program. For all fee-free TAFE places, six in 10 have been taken up by women. One in three are based in regional or remote Australia. Almost 90 per cent of fee-free TAFE courses are full qualifications at the certificate III level and above. These courses take longer to complete, as long as three years for full-time study and more for those who elect to study part time.
The Albanese government's 2024-25 budget delivers $600 million in measures to bolster skills growth and development in the clean energy, industry, construction and manufacturing sectors as well as support apprentices and break down barriers for women in male dominated industries. This includes $91 million over five years in the budget to help skill the new energy workforce to transition to net zero, $90 million over three years to help skill the housing and construction workforce, $55 million over four years for building women's career programs and $265 million over four years to target support under the Australian apprenticeship incentives scheme.
In closing, TAFE serves as a cornerstone of opportunity, a catalyst for personal growth and a foundation for better, brighter futures for so many young Australians right across our nation. Our government recognises this. It's why we're backing free TAFE, and it's why we're backing young aspirational Australians, like Trey, to be the leaders of our nation's future workforce.
Debate adjourned.
