Access to Funding

Significant funding opportunities provided by Australian and NSW Governments to assist with increasing the skill level of the working age population are currently available for businesses and individuals.

TAFE NSW - Illawarra Institute can assist you to take advantage of a range of government-funded incentive programs to develop the skills of your workforce. Informed staff can assist you to identify and access potential funding such as:

Strategic Skills Program (SSP)

The Strategic Skills Program responds to industry-identified skill shortages through funding of part-qualification training that addresses key NSW (state and regional) skill development priorities relevant to your industry.

Apprenticeship and traineeship incentives

Employers who hire mature age workers (over 45 years old) in skill shortage areas may attract a special Mature Age Worker Commencement Incentive of $750 and a Completion Incentive of $750.
Employers in regional and rural Australia who employ an apprentice in an eligible national skills needs area may be eligible for a special commencement incentive of $1000.
Employers may be eligible for incentives to offset training costs when undertaking an Existing Worker Traineeship.
Employers may be eligible to receive a subsidy of $104 per week plus up to $5000 for workplace modification under the Disabled Australian Apprenticeship Wage Support program.

Rural and regional support

The Australian Government is working to ensure better access to training in rural and regional areas to support local economies through pilot funding under the National Skills Shortages Strategy.
Each pilot aims to work with regional stakeholders such as industry, education providers and the broader community to:

• Profile existing and potential industries in a region
• Identify common factors and solutions to skills issues
• Engage relevant national, state and local industry and training bodies
• Identify skills and training needs
• Pilot practical strategies that could be used in other regions

Workplace English Language and Literacy training (WELL Program)

To improve communication within your workforce, WELL Program funding is available for job-related workplace language and literacy training. If your staff could benefit from English language, literacy and numeracy training then the WELL Program may be exactly what you need.
The Illawarra Institute can assist you to apply for WELL funding and can deliver the training in your workplace, at one of our campuses or by a combination of the two.

Diversifying your workforce

By considering a wider range of job seekers and traditional sources of recruitment, TAFE NSW can help you take advantage of incentives including:

Support to employ Indigenous Australians covering:

• Community Development Program - if you employ Indigenous Australians you may be eligible for Wage Assistance.
• Corporate Leaders for Indigenous Employment Project - you may benefit from a flexible package of funding by using elements of the Australian Government's Indigenous Employment Program.

Structured Training and Employment Project

You may receive incentives ranging from $4000 to $7700 depending upon terms of employment.

Wage Assist

A wage subsidy program which provides ongoing, full-time work opportunities for very long-term unemployed job seekers.

Work experience

Assists you to determine how a potential employee may operate in your working environment before incurring costs.

Employing people with a disability

You can receive funding and subsidies under the Australian Government's Supported Wage System (SWS) allowing you to pay a wage that corresponds to the employee's rate of productivity with the Government making further contributions to their income.

Productivity Places Program (PPP)

As part of its Skilling Australia for the future initiative, the Federal Government recognises the importance of nationally endorsed training in assisting job seekers to acquire skills and gain lasting employment and assisting existing workers to update or upgrade their skills.

The Government has allocated 630,000 training places over five years to ensure that Australians develop the skills that industry needs. The training places will be delivered in an industry-driven system, ensuring that training is more responsive to the needs of enterprises and individuals.

The objective of Productivity Places Program is to increase the skill level of the working age population and keep up with skills demands that are being placed on the Australian economy, industry sectors and its workers. As part of the PPP, funding will be provided for participants to undertake training for qualifications in identified areas of skill shortages.

Illawarra Institute is currently contracted to deliver SIR30207 Certificate III in Retail (course 17485).

For further information on the Productivity Places Program visit:

http://www.productivityplaces.deewr.gov.au/home.htm

Contact a Consultant in your area: