The Victorian TAFE Association (VTA) is calling for additional investment in TAFE campus infrastructure, including in the state’s growth corridors and regional areas, to attract more young people into apprenticeships and in-demand trade careers.
To mark National Apprenticeship Week, the VTA is seeking a commitment to a $2.5 billion TAFE Infrastructure Fund over 10 years, as recommended by Infrastructure Victoria.
It is also calling for 10,000 additional Free TAFE places per year for the next decade to increase the state’s supply of skilled workers in government priority areas, such as building homes, data centres, and the renewable energy transition.
The hidden engine of Victoria’s productivity is the legion of tens of thousands of apprentices trained at our public TAFEs and dual-sector universities.
More than 70% of all Victorian apprentices completed their training through TAFE.
Last year,12,000 highly skilled tradespeople entered the Victorian workforce, helping meet urgent skills needs across construction, building, infrastructure, and other high‑demand sectors.
More than 13,000 apprentices were women, and almost half were mature-aged learners.
However, women still only accounted for 11% of apprenticeships (including cooking and hairdressing) and less than 5% of traditional trade apprenticeships.
Regional TAFEs, including Bendigo TAFE, have been proactively addressing this challenge by introducing a new female and gender diverse construction course in Castlemaine.
The course, predominantly taught by trainers who are also female and gender diverse, commenced in 2025, offering opportunities to women in a sector that has long been underrepresented.
Quotes attributable to Alex White, CEO of the Victorian TAFE Association:
“During National Apprentice Week, the VTA is celebrating more than 63,000 Victorian apprentices who trained across the state in 2025 and continue to play a vital role in shaping Victoria’s economic future.
“All Victorians should be able to access the TAFE system to enable them to train for in-demand and rewarding careers, while also helping to address the skills shortage.
“The VTA also acknowledges that boosting the number of women apprentices is a key part of addressing this national challenge.
“We applaud the government for taking active steps to address this, including with the Big Build Apprenticeship Program that saw the rate of women apprentices rise to 21%, but there is more work to be done.
“We also congratulate regional TAFEs, including Bendigo TAFE, for their innovative approach to boosting women’s representation in fields such as building and construction.
“Backed by strong partnerships with industry and employers, TAFE provides apprentices with training that is closely aligned with real workforce needs — producing graduates who are skilled, confident, and ready to step into high-demand careers across the state.” is
