More than 2500 places in training courses will be made free at the Canberra Institute of Technology next year, in a jointly funded program to address skill shortages.
The ACT government and the Commonwealth have agreed as part of a year-long skills agreement to provide free training courses, which the territory said would inject more than $16.5 million into the skills and training sector.
Forty-six qualifications and pre-apprenticeships at the government-run institute will be available fee-free to eligible students, along with short courses.
The Canberra Institute of Technology will deliver all of the fee-free training, with no private training providers to be funded under the agreement.
Courses to be covered under the agreement include certificate III qualifications in early childhood education and care and hospitality. Eligible places will be able to access certificate IV qualifications in mental health, and certificate II qualifications in electronics and construction pathways.
The ACT government said there would be about 840 fee-free places available in the care sector, about 600 in hospitality and tourism and 400 in technology and digital.
About 50 construction training places will also be available.
ACT Skills Minister Chris Steel said the training places would address key skills shortages in the territory's economy.
"With such a low unemployment rate here, fee-free-TAFE is about reducing the barriers to undertake training for jobs that are in demand," Mr Steel said.
"I encourage Canberrans in the priority groups to seize the opportunity to enrol for next year in high-quality fee-free courses delivered by CIT."
The federal Skills and Training Minister, Brendan O'Connor, said the Commonwealth recognised the urgency of the skills crisis across Australia and the challenges faced in the ACT.
"If we want to provide greater opportunity in the ACT for secure and rewarding employment, we must be able to skill and reskill our workforce," Mr O'Connor said.
"Whether it's a need to build our care sector, construction, hospitality and tourism, or technology and digital sectors, we need to deliver these skills at a time of acute skills shortages.
"I'm thrilled to make this joint investment to expand opportunities for all Canberrans."
