Tens of thousands more Australians are gaining the skills needed to work in early childhood education and care (ECEC) under the Albanese Government’s Free TAFE program.
Free TAFE’s national rollout started in 2023, offering places for courses that get Australians qualified to work in priority sectors with skills shortages.
Since that time there have been 65,290 enrolments in ECEC courses across the country.
The Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is the most popular Free TAFE course in the sector with 51,110 enrolments, and ranks as Australia’s second most favourite Free TAFE course, representing six per cent of all Free TAFE enrolments.
The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, which supports educators towards leadership roles in their workplace, has seen 12,835 Free TAFE enrolments during the same period.
Free TAFE is already delivering qualified workers into the sector, with states and territories reporting 11,848 Certificate III completions and 3,176 Diploma completions so far.
The program is also reducing the financial barriers that can prevent people from pursuing training and careers, with Free TAFE helping Australians save thousands on course fees across the country, including up to $4,500 on the Certificate III in South Australia and up to $8,000 on the Diploma in Victoria.
Free TAFE is part of the Government’s broader strategy to attract, train and retain more educators in the ECEC sector.
In June 2026 the Government announced an additional $3.6 billion investment to extend the Worker Retention Payment (WRP), supporting a wage increase for ECEC workers through to 30 June 2028. The WRP was introduced in 2024 to attract and retain high-quality ECEC educators and has had a positive impact on the workforce.
There has also been a decline in ECEC internet job vacancies since the announcement of the program, while staff surveys show an increase in the number of workers who intend to stay in the sector and improved educator wellbeing.
Together, this work is helping to strengthen and grow the ECEC workforce, supporting providers to recruit and retain the skilled workforce Australian families rely on, while also making ECEC more affordable for families.
As at 10 August 2026
