Training provides mature age workers and job seekers with a great opportunity to develop their skills and qualifications. Keeping your skills up-to-date in a world where technology is rapidly changing and expanding can enhance employment opportunities. Obtaining qualifications to allow you to move into a different career path which you enjoy and are interested in can add vitality to your work. This page contains information on programs and resources to assist you in deciding which course you are interested in and how to find it.
- Career Choices
If you are considering a career change, you may be wondering which career is best suited to you, your interests and your skills. It is also important to consider a career path which offers you good employment prospects. The following web sites may help:
- Training to re-enter the workforce
Re-entering the workforce after an extended absence can be a daunting and difficult task. Below are some Government programs designed to assist job seekers to upgrade their skills and look for work in today's environment.
- Vocational training
If you know what course or qualification you want, but don't know where to obtain it, the following web sites can help you find training in your local area.
Career Choices
If you are considering a career change, you may be wondering which career is best suited to you, your interests and your skills. It is also important to consider a career path which offers you good employment prospects.
Job Explorer
Job Explorer 
on Australian Jobsearch allows users to explore skills, knowledge, abilities, job environment and other useful characteristics associated with a selected occupation. You can browse jobs by keyword search, category or alphabetical listing.
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Job Outlook
Job Outlook on Australian Jobsearch can provide information on job prospects, weekly earnings, type of work and other useful occupational information. You can browse jobs by keyword search, category or alphabetical listing.
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Myfuture
Myfuture is a web site that provides information on career planning, with education and training options for Australian jobs. On myfuture you will find the following features:
- My Guide, your personalised career exploration tool, which helps you to determine a career direction and plan your future;
- detailed career information about occupations, industries, education and training providers, courses and programs; and
- a range of information about career development, choosing subjects for education and training, getting a job, starting your own business, working overseas and many other topics.
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Skillsinfo
Skillsinfo is designed to provide skills-related information for industries and regions, as well as information on education and training issues. The web site is built around five themes: Education and Training, Industries, Regions, Skills Issues and Skills Links. The home page gives the user the option of selecting a region of interest, an industry, education and training, and skills issues.
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Skills in demand
Skills in demand includes information on skills in demand for professionals, trades and Information & Communication Technology (ICT) skills in Australia.
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Training to re-enter the workforce
Re-entering the workforce after an extended absence can be a daunting prospect. Below are some Government programs designed to assist job seekers to upgrade their skills and look for work in today's environment.
Productivity Places Program
The Government has allocated 630,000 training places over five years to help Australians develop the skills that industry needs. 238,000 of these places are allocated for job seekers. The training places are being delivered in an industry-driven system, ensuring that training is more responsive to the needs of enterprises and individuals.
The first 20,000 training places for job seekers at the Certificate II and III levels in occupations identified by employers as having a high demand for new workers, became available in April 2008.
For more information visit the Productivity Places web site.
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Australian Apprenticeships
Australian Apprenticeships are available in traditional trades, and in a diverse range of emerging careers, in most sectors of business and industry. For more information visit the Australian Apprenticeships web site.
The Australian Apprenticeships Access program (the Access program) provides mature age job seekers with pre vocational training, support and assistance to obtain and maintain an Australian Apprenticeship. The priority of the Access program is to obtain Australian Apprenticeship outcomes. Other secondary outcomes are employment and further education or training.
The training provided through the Access program is nationally recognised under the Australian Quality Training Framework, is based on labour market needs, and is linked to an Australian Apprenticeship pathway.
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Employment Preparation
Employment Preparation 
equips mature age job seekers (aged 50 years and over), along with parents and carers, with the skills necessary to re-enter the workforce. Assistance is based on the job seeker's individual needs and may include the following:
- Skills assessments;
- Access to training courses to upgrade skills; and
- Courses/training to improve self esteem, confidence or IT skills.
Eligible job seekers with no recent workforce experience may receive Employment Preparation services as a soon as they start participating in Job Network. People with recent workforce experience may receive Employment Preparation after they have been participating in Job Network for three months without finding employment. There are a capped number of Employment Preparation places available each year for parents and mature age people who are not on income support.
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Job Network
Job Network is a national network of community and private organisations which have been contracted to place people into employment through the provision of flexible and tailored assistance based on each job seeker’s level of need. Detailed Job Network information can be found on Workplace or by calling 13 62 68.
Some support programs available through the Job Network can offer training at no charge to you, depending on your circumstances. We encourage you to gain comprehensive information on the services available to mature age job seekers. This can be done through contact with your local Centrelink office or Job Network member.
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Skills Recognition
This web site provides information about the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process and encourages people to have their existing skills formally recognised with a qualification. It will help potential RPL candidates to understand the basics and be well prepared when they engage with a Registered Training Organisation for a recognition assessment. For more information visit the Skills Recognition web site.
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Vocational training
If you know what course or qualification you are interested in, but don't know where to obtain it, the following web sites can help you find training in your local area.
TAFE web sites in your state/territory
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Training - Australian Job Search
On the Training page of Australian Jobsearch you can search to find courses by occupation, by region, or by institution. This page gives details on courses and education and training providers including universities, TAFE and Registered Training Organisations.
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Training.com.au
Training.com.au provides a single point of access to the vast range of vocational education and training information, products and services in Australia.
Through the Course search feature, you can find information on career possibilities, job statistics, skills shortages, prospects and course providers for your chosen course or qualification.
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Vocational Education and Training
The training and skills sector, also known as vocational education and training or VET, gives Australians the opportunity to gain the skills they need to enter the workforce for the first time, to re-enter the workforce, to retrain for a new job or to upgrade their skills for an existing job. For more information visit Training and Skills.
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Payments whilst studying
For information on whether you meet eligibility requirements to receive payments whilst studying, please visit Centrelink .
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Frequently Asked Questions
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