How JobTrainer supports employees and young Australians

From JobKeeper to JobSeeker, followed by JobMaker, the COVID-19 economic response from the government at federal and state level, has been focused on supporting Australians to find and keep jobs.

The next funding initiative is JobTrainer — a $2 billion dollar funding initiative designed to support young Australians in gaining the skills required to access work, while supporting employers to keep these young, skilled individuals in jobs. If you’re finding it hard to keep up with which funding scheme means what and for who, you’re not alone. This article looks at JobTrainer, including what is on offer, when it is available from and until, and who is eligible to benefit from it.

What is JobTrainer?

Targeting younger individuals aged from 17 – 24 years old, JobTrainer focuses on getting young Australians equipped with skills, qualifications and careers. The funding initiatives sees the federal and state governments teaming up to subsidise training costs, enabling eligible individuals to take on further study with either low-fee or no fee at all.

The JobTrainer funding will cover accredited certificates, diplomas and short courses as per an agreed list of qualifications which have been chosen due to their anticipated employment growth. By doing this, those who train under the JobTrainer funding initiative have a better chance of gaining qualifications in a role that will have excellent job prospects now and in the future.

Training places under JobTrainer are available now, meaning eligible individuals can already access the free or low-fee training in areas that have been identified as in need of skilled workers. Sectors like healthcare and aged care, disability care and early childhood education are included, requiring individuals who have pursued high quality training to meet demand. Courses in these areas can be accessed through selected RTOs (Registered Training Organisations), including at Catalyst’s RTOs.

JobTrainer eligibility and who will benefit

JobTrainer funding offers subsidies that cover half of the wage of eligible trainees to the workplaces who employ them. Importantly, employers do not need to have reduced turnover in their business to be eligible, unlike JobKeeper, and the subsidy is available to workplaces with up to 200 employees. These subsidies encourage businesses to employ and retain more trainees and shape a highly skilled workforce.

Younger people who are unemployed or have just left school, can take advantage of JobTrainer for a great opportunity to make a start toward a career in a booming sector.

To be able to access a free or low-fee course via JobTrainer, individuals must fulfil the criteria and be:

An Australian citizen, permanent resident, New Zealand citizen or asylum seeker, and
Between 17 and 24 years old when your course commences; or
A job seeker of any age. A job seeker is defined as a person who holds a current Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or Veteran’s Gold Card or is unemployed.

Some individuals who have not been eligible for the previous funding initiatives may be eligible for JobTrainer, even if they possess existing qualifications. JobTrainer does not have the ‘two at a level in a lifetime’ limit like other funding initiatives. For example, if a person has already completed a VET certificate as part of secondary schooling, or a school-based traineeship they may still be eligible to undertake further study with the support of JobTrainer. There are also no upskilling requirements, so it could be the right time to pursue an entirely fresh career.

Take a look at the full eligibility document here.

What courses are included under JobTrainer?

With JobTrainer backing you, individuals can pursue a meaningful career in early childhood education or a fulfilling career in aged care, supporting some of our community’s most vulnerable individuals.

For those who would prefer to earn and learn at the same time, a traineeship could be the way to go — this means they can study while working, learning on the job and applying theory while proceeding through their chosen qualification.

There are flexible study options available for courses too, meaning you can adapt your training to your existing commitments. Practical placement is included to ensure you gain the confidence and capabilities required to succeed in your chosen field regardless of the delivery mode you choose.

Course options include:

Early childhood education and care

Aged care

JobTrainer: helping to shape a highly skilled workforce

Both aged care and early childhood education give young Australians the opportunity to pursue a meaningful career in a booming sector where they can make a valuable difference to the lives of others each and every day.

How JobTrainer supports employees and young Australians