May 13th, 202540,000 new tradies ready to work in Victoria: Tierney

The state’s Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney visited Melbourne Polytechnic’s Heidelberg Campus last week to congratulate some of the state’s 40,000 newly qualified tradies on receiving Trade Paper.

A Trade Paper is a certificate awarded to those who successfully complete a recognised apprenticeship in Victoria, along with relevant formal training through a TAFE, trade school or registered training organisation. 

Trade papers are issued for 121 different qualifications, with carpenters, electricians and plumbers topping the list and making up almost half of all tradies who have received their papers. 

In a media statement the state government said free TAFE has been a gamechanger for Victorians, with more than 200,000 students saving on average $3,000 per course – getting the skills they need for good, stable jobs or to get back into the workforce. 

Skilled workers are in high demand in Victoria and according to latest figures from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, almost 95 per cent of people who completed training for a trade occupation in 2024 were employed after qualifying. 

The state and federal governments have announced they are investing a combined $50 million to establish the Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence at Melbourne Polytechnic’s Heidelberg Campus – the first training facility in Australia focused exclusively on Modern Methods of Construction courses and Industry 4.0 techniques.

For more information about Trade Papers, visit vrqa.vic.gov.au. 

Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney: “We are building a strong pipeline of skilled workers in Victoria to deliver the houses, hosptials, schools, road and rail that Victorians need.”

“We will always stand up for tradies and their families – we’ve made it easier for them to find a good, stable job with trades papers and Free TAFE, and Victoria now has 40,000 more workers at the ready.”