A new scheme is preparing the workforce in vital sectors of the SA economy. Photo: South Australian Department of State Development.
South Australia’s Government is investing in the next generation of the state’s tradies, partnering with training organisations to provide new facilities to build up the skilled workforce.
The $3 million Equipment and Capital Grants program will help providers deliver high-quality training that prepares graduates for work in some of the state’s most vital sectors, including the AUKUS submarine program and the housing industry.
Under the scheme, funding will be split evenly by defence and construction, providing support for vocational education and training (VET) students to access state-of-the-art technology and resources.
Grants of up to $250,000 are available for industry, TAFE and non-profit training providers to co-invest in new technology and upgrade site infrastructure.
PEER, a provider in Albert Park, previously partnered with the State Government to install a virtual reality training tool, increase its number of welding bays and create more inclusive facilities for women.
Support will focus on improving student access and participation in priority, in-demand areas, targeting courses facing skills shortages.
The program is part of the government’s $27 million AUKUS Skills and $29 million Housing Skills commitments to create more than 2000 new pathways to work through university scholarships, industry partnerships and apprenticeships.
These training positions are in addition to the more than 160,000 places the government has already funded under the National Skills Agreement.
New upskilling efforts in the state pair with recent data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) showing that South Australia recorded an increase in trade apprentice commencements in the 12 months to March 2026, defying a national decline.
In addition, completions in trades rose 20.8 per cent compared with the same period last year, the second-highest percentage increase in Australia.
