Albanese government pledges $41m for six Tafe centres of excellence and more higher apprenticeships

Treasurer Jim Chalmers. According to the employment white paper, around 2.8m people are either unemployed and looking for work or in a job but under-utilised. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AP

The Albanese government will spend an extra $41m in a bid to double higher apprenticeships in the care economy, digitisation and net zero, three priorities identified by the employment white paper.

The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, will release the white paper on Monday, promising nine new policy initiatives including a national skills passport and the bid to boost Tafe with six new centres of excellence around Australia.