The Skills First program, launched in January 2017, is a Victorian Government initiative providing subsidized training for eligible individuals and aims to support those courses which are most likely to lead to employment.
Skills First offers real training for real jobs, through:
Funding is only provided for training that meets the needs of students, industry and the economy.
Skills First ensures Victoria can provide the skilled workers needed for the six sectors primed for major job growth: medical technology and pharmaceuticals, new energy technology, food and fibre, transport, defence and construction technology, international education and professional services.
It is funded with Victorian and Commonwealth Government Funding, as is subject to eligibility criteria outlined below.
AdvancED Education and Training is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 41332) and has a contract with the Department of Education and Training to deliver government subsidised training under the Skills First program. The Training Services are provided to Eligible Individuals and the training is delivered with Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding.
An eligible individual is an individual who is eligible for training subsidised through the Skills First program in accordance with the eligibility requirements specified in this VET Funding Contract. The specific criteria are listed below:
a) An individual must be either:
b) Residing in Victoria and enrolling and commencing training in a course or qualification provided by the Training Provider between the Commencement Date and 31 December 2021 inclusive; and
c) Under 20 or upskilling (that is, are you seeking to enrol in a nationally recognised qualification that is at a higher level than the highest qualification you have previously completed)
d) Commence a maximum of two courses subsidised through the Skills First Program in a calendar year.Where an individual is enrolled in a course(s) that is scheduled to commence later in that calendar year, this course(s) must be counted for the purpose of this clause when assessing eligibility;
e) Undertake a maximum of two courses subsidised through the Skills First Program at any one time;
f) Commence a maximum of two government subsidised courses at the same level within the AQF in their lifetime; and
g) Commence a maximum of two government subsidised accredited courses with the title ‘Course in…’ in their lifetime.
Please note that if you are eligible and chose to enrol under the Skills First Program this may impact your access to further government subsidised training.
An individual is NOT eligible for government subsidised training if the individual is:
a) a student enrolled in a school (excluding a school based Apprentice/Trainee). This includes;
b) Within the meaning of the Corrections Act 1986 (Vic), a prisoner held at a prison, including:
c) A person who is detained under the Mental Health Act 1986 (Vic), or the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 (Vic) or the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) at the Thomas Embling Hospital; or
d) A person who is detained (other than on weekend detention) under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) or the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) or who is held on remand in one or more of the following youth justice facilities:
The exclusions do not apply to:
Who, subject to otherwise complying with the requirements above, may be eligible for training subsidised through the Skills First program as they are able to physically access training outside of a custodial setting without supervision.
It includes details of any other fees including but not limited to student services, amenities, and goods or materials. The student tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. Additional Fees may apply on an individual enrolment basis.
Concessions on tuition fees for Government-subsidised training places are available for the following eligible students for Certificate I – IV Courses:
Concessions for applicants that meet the Government-subsidised funding criteria mean course fees payable are equal to 20 per cent of published standard Skills First Tuition fee.
Please note: Enrolment for eligible students is under the Skills First Program and may impact access to further Government-subsidised training. For above Card Holders, concessions do not apply to Diploma and Advanced Diploma level qualifications.
The concession rate of 20 per cent applies to all courses, irrespective of the course level, for individuals who;
Tuition fee waivers/exemptions are applied to all courses, irrespective of course level, to individuals who are from;
Judy Lazarus Transition Centre – Individuals from the Judy Lazarus Transition Centre (as a prisoner within the meaning of the Corrections Act 1986) with written confirmation from the management of the Judy Lazarus Transition Centre; or
Young People on Community Based Orders – Individuals required to undertake the course pursuant to a community based order made under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 with written confirmation from the relevant Youth Justice Unit of the Victorian Department of Justice and Regulation.
The Victorian Government has partnered with the Commonwealth Government to jointly invest additional funds under the JobTrainer Fund. The JobTrainer Fund provides additional funding to increase access to training for Victorians who have been most impacted by the coronavirus (COVID19) crisis. The JobTrainer initiative under Skills First will increase access to free or low fee training places for young people and job seekers.
Advaced Education and Training is funded for delivery under Job Trainer initiative for number of courses.
The JobTrainer initiative (JobTrainer) is a joint Commonwealth and State initiative which provides additional funding to increase access to free or low fee training places for young people and job seekers. JobTrainer complements the existing subsidised training available under Skills First as well as Free TAFE.
Under JobTrainer, subsidised training places are available to young people and job seekers, even if they don’t meet the ‘upskilling’ or ‘two at level in a lifetime’ Skills First eligibility requirements. Eligible students under JobTrainer have access to low fee training in all JobTrainer courses and access to free training in Free TAFE courses at TAFEs.
A person can participate under JobTrainer if they are:
They must not have commenced a full qualification under JobTrainer before.
The normal Skills First eligibility criteria apply to JobTrainer but with two exceptions.
You can grant an eligibility exemption to a student who doesn’t meet the upskilling requirement.
AET can grant an eligibility exemption to a student who doesn’t meet the ‘two at level in a lifetime’ limit.
If you are over 24 and a job seeker we need to sight and retain evidence of their job seeker status.
We accept the following:
Seats are limited under this initiative, please call Advanced Education and Training for more information.
