Federal Labor is celebrating more than 5,800 free Tafe courses in Geelong.
Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles was joined by deputy PM and Corio MP Richard Marles and Corangamite MP Libby Coker at the Gordon this morning to celebrate the occasion.
He says there has been a major improvement on skills shortages in the country during Labor’s term.
“When we came into government, we had the worst skills shortage in about 50 years,” he said.
“It was impacting us everywhere, and it was having an impact on cost of living pressures as well.
“Now we are seeing nothing less than a transformation. I regularly now get to see stories of people getting to do the jobs they’ve always wanted to do.”
Mr Giles added the free courses were also impacting people’s cost of living.
“If you take someone studying a diploma of building and construction at the Gordon – and we know a lot of people want to do that course with the number of housing projects in the region – they benefit greatly,” he said.
“They can save $16,125 from the free course. That’s making a huge difference to their day to day life.”
Labor has called on the Coalition to confirm if people undertaking free courses will have their courses cut if they are elected this year.
