Jobs, skills and training

Jobs

We’re taking job creation seriously, and the results speak for themselves. We’ve created the most jobs in our first year of any government in history. Of all the full-time jobs created in the last year, two-thirds went to women. As a result, there’s a record number of women in full-time work. And we’ve delivered the fastest wage growth in a decade.

Since 1 July 2023, 2.7 million workers on awards have received a pay rise. Minimum wage workers got an 8.6% total boost, the largest increase they have ever been awarded. And 250,000 aged care workers received an historic 15% pay rise. Largely as a result of these pay increases flowing to female-dominated industries, the gender pay gap is at an historic low of 13%. Check your pay rate and find out what changes apply to your pay this financial year.

And we’re reviving our ability to make world-class products and, in the process, create secure well-paid jobs for Australians. The $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund will support projects that create secure well-paid jobs, drive regional development, and boost our national manufacturing capability, broadening and diversifying Australia’s economy.

Skills and training

We're delivering 480,000 fee-free TAFE places to help get Australians into secure, well-paid jobs. 180,000 fee-free TAFE places are available from 1 January 2023, with an additional 300,000 places from January 2024. And we're upgrading TAFEs so students have access to the latest facilities that'll help them learn best. Find out more about which TAFE courses are fee-free and enrol now.

Eligible clean energy apprentices can now receive financial support of up to $10,000 through the New Energy Apprenticeships Program. You can learn how to install solar panels, work on large-scale renewable projects and more. Find out more about how to apply for assistance through the New Energy Apprenticeships Program.

We want more young Australians to have the chance to go to university. That’s why we’ve provided funding for 20,000 additional university places in areas of skills needs for disadvantaged Australians.

We’re helping more people in the regions go to university with 20 additional Regional University Study Hubs and setting up 14 new study hubs in the outer suburbs, where more people are missing out on university. It’s an investment in our greatest resource: our people.

And to make sure we’re providing training in the areas employers need now and, in the future, we’ve set up Jobs and Skills Australia.