Skills support for individuals

Australia’s national training system supports over three million students annually to gain the skills to secure and maintain rewarding and sustainable employment. This includes new job starters, those re-entering the workforce, retraining for a new job or upgrading their skills for an existing job.

Find out about the courses and assistance available to help you undertake skills training through the links below.

My Skills

Find a course to expand your skills at the My Skills website. You can search for, and compare, VET courses and training providers.

Unique Student Identifier

The Unique Student Identifier gives students online access to their nationally recognised training records.

Apprenticeships and traineeships

An Australian Apprenticeship gives you a nationally recognised qualification and the experience you need to get ahead in your chosen career. Visit the Australian Apprenticeships website for more information or our apprentices and traineeships page for guidelines to the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program.

Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans

Apprentices and trainees working in a skills need area may be eligible for Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans to help cover their living and learning costs.

Skills for Education and Employment

The Skills for Education and Employment program provides language, literacy and numeracy training to eligible job seekers to enable them to participate more effectively in training or in the labour force.

Financial support

The Your Career website explains the government assistance available to help you finance your VET study.

New Enterprise Incentive Scheme

Job seekers interested in starting and running a small business may be able to get practical small business training, business mentoring and financial assistance from the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme.

My Future

The myfuture website is an Australian Government career information and exploration service.

Skills and licence recognition

The department has oversight of appointed assessing authorities. Assessing authorities are organisations that conduct skills assessments. They check that potential migrants have the skills that meet standards to work in their nominated occupation in Australia.

Trades Recognition Australia is the department’s assessing authority to assist people with trade skills gained overseas or in Australia for the purpose of migration and skills recognition.

International Education assesses higher education qualifications for recognition in Australia.

Assistance with domestic occupational licence recognition for specified licensed tradespeople wishing to apply for a licence in another state, territory or New Zealand is available through the relevant state or territory registration authority. Further information on the mutual recognition of occupational registrations scheme is available on the Mutual Recognition page.

Reading Writing Hotline

Visit Reading Writing Hotline to find an organisation to help you improve your reading and writing or find resources to help you improve your spelling, reading and other language skills.

Register of institutions and courses for overseas students

The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students lists all Australian education providers that offer courses to people studying in Australia on student visas and the courses offered.