Apprenticeships and traineeships

Apprentice Retention Program

The Emergency Response Package component of the Whyalla steelworks support package includes $125,000 in 2025-26 for the Apprentice Retention Program. The support package is jointly funded by the Australian government and the South Australian government (Budget paper 5: Budget measures statement, p. 11).

The South Australian Skills Commission, the Apprenticeship Employment Network SA (AEN SA), and group training organisations in Whyalla are supporting local apprentices facing job disruptions by connecting them with new host employers, paying wages during the transition, waiving transfer fees, and prioritising final-year apprentices for early completion (Support for Whyalla-based businesses and workers; South Australian Skills Commission).

Employment

Whyalla workforce support

$7.6 million is allocated over 3 years for initiatives to support the Whyalla workforce impacted by the administration of the steelworks, including:

• The Spencer Gulf Jobs and Skills Hub - $5.9 million over 3 years ($2.8 million in 2025-26) to initially support the transition of workers who have lost their jobs with the steelworks or supply chain companies, then progressively support workforce development in the Upper Spencer Gulf region.
• Free accredited training to workers and contractors from the Whyalla steelworks and its supply chain.
• The Career Transition Service delivered by Regional Development Australia Eyre Peninsula (RDAEP) and Resources and Engineering Skills Alliance (RESA) that aims to equip participants with tailored career plans, which may include referrals to free accredited training.
• The Apprentice Retention Program - see the Apprenticeships and traineeships section above for more information (Supporting Whyalla, Whyalla emergency response package section; Budget paper 5: Budget measures statement, p. 11).

Industry

Public safety

Initiatives related to the Public Safety industry include:

• Additional police officers - $30.7 million over 2 years from 2026-27 and $35.7 million per annum (indexed) from 2028-29 for additional sworn police officers to support the demand for frontline policing, and time-limited funding of $3.4 million over 4 years from 2025-26 for a team of 6 full time equivalents (FTEs) to support the recruitment of the additional sworn officers.
• Continue accelerated police recruitment - this initiative provides $4 million per annum over 3 years from 2025-26 to continue the accelerated recruitment program by increasing the number of courses delivered by the Police Academy, engaging in recruitment campaigns, and improving vocational pathways. 

The initiatives aim to accelerate recruitment and training to address existing vacancies and reach South Australia Police's (SAPOL) target of 5,000 sworn officers by 2030-31 (Budget paper 5: Budget measures statement, pp. 53-54).

National Agreements

In 2025-26, the Australian Government will provide estimated funding of $183.9 million to support skills and workforce development services in South Australia through the National Skills Agreement (NSA) and National Partnerships.

National Skills Agreement

Funding from the Commonwealth Government under the National Skills Agreement is estimated at $121.5 million in 2025-26 (Budget paper 3: Budget statement, p. 45).

National Partnerships

The total Skills and Workforce Development National Partnership Payments are estimated to be $62.4 million for 2025-26 (Budget paper 3: Budget statement, p. 45).

Training providers and programs

Department of State Development administered items

From 1 July 2024, administration of the South Australian Skills Commission and student transport concessions related to vocational education and training (VET) transferred from the Department for Education to the Department of State Development (Budget paper 4: Agency statements: volume 4, pp. 79 and 103).

The appropriation for these items in 2025-26 is:

• South Australian Skills Commission - $8.793 million
• Student transport concessions: VET - $2.163 million (Budget paper 4: Agency statements: volume 4, p. 104).

Skills SA

Skills SA, Program 2 of the Department of State Development, is the steward of the VET system. In 2025-26, the targets for Skills SA include:

• Continue to facilitate Fee Free TAFE and VET places with TAFE SA and non-government training providers in partnership with the Australian government.
• Continue investing in subsidised VET courses at TAFE SA and non-government training providers, focusing on quality delivery, completions, learner wellbeing, culturally safe and inclusive VET learning environments, and increased access for regional and remote learners.
• Continue collaboration on national stewardship of the VET system and local delivery of agreed NSA priorities and policy initiatives.
• Enhance planning to ensure public investment in VET and skills initiatives addresses skills shortages and aligns to strategic economic priorities.
• Continue the design and implementation of the Digital Transformation program and VET Data and Evidence policy initiative in collaboration with the Australian government (Budget paper 4: Agency statements: volume 4, p. 86).

The estimated net cost of services for Skills SA are $375.826 million in 2025-26 (Budget paper 4: Agency statements: volume 4, p. 80).

TAFE SA

TAFE SA is South Australia's public training provider of VET. The program net cost of services is estimated to be $15.993 million in 2025-26 (Budget paper 4: Agency statements: volume 4, p. 110).

The 2025-26 investment program for TAFE SA is $20.3 million. The program continues to invest in enhancing the TAFE SA digital environment, training access, modern facilities, industry-relevant equipment, and asset lifecycle programs for VET delivery across the state. The existing projects include:

• Student Engagement Hubs - this project was previously presented within the Contemporary Digital Student Learning Systems and Support Services project but is now presented separately as it relates to physical infrastructure rather than technology improvements. The total project cost of $2.183 million was allocated in the 2024-25 budget, and the estimated completion quarter is June 2026.
• Upgrades to the Mount Gambier campus - the upgrades have an estimated total project cost of $5 million, with $4.7 million allocated in 2025-26. The estimated completion quarter is June 2026. The project timing has been aligned with the Mount Gambier Technical College to ensure an integrated precinct (Budget paper 4: Agency statements: volume 4, p. 111).