NSW Smart and Skilled

Smart and Skilled is a NSW Government program that helps people get training in in-demand skills and industries. The program began in 2015 and has been effective in delivering training in key qualifications and geographic and occupational areas. The last time registered training organisations (RTOs) had a broad opportunity to enter Smart and Skilled was in 2017.

The Smart and Skilled application process ensures prospective and existing providers deliver the best possible training offerings to the training sector that meet geographic, occupational, and industry needs.

Through the Smart and Skilled application process, RTOs had an opportunity to apply to continue in or enter for the first time the NSW government-subsidised vocational education and training sector.

The Smart and Skilled application process determined which RTOs are suitable for Smart and Skilled contracts and financial allocations for 2023-24.

The application process required RTOs to provide information around:

• Eligibility including evidence of financial viability
• The operational structure of the RTO
• The quality of training provision including:
  • Teaching and leadership practices
  • Student-centered approach to training experience
  • Individualized support for students, particularly students with a disadvantage and/or with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background
• The programs, regions, and qualifications applied for including:
  • Previous student commencement numbers
  • The number of students expected to commence in 2023-24
  • Additional information around assessment practices and innovative approaches to training

The information provided through the application stage has been competitively assessed by Training Services NSW. The assessment process was designed to ensure Smart and Skilled funding is aligned with labor market needs and results in a choice of providers for students, while also lifting training system quality.

Am I eligible?

Are you:

• 15 years old or over?
• No longer at school?
• Living or working in NSW?
• An Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, humanitarian visa holder, or New Zealand citizen?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to all four questions, you’re eligible for Smart and Skilled training.

Other eligibility conditions

Your eligibility is not affected if you have completed a vocational education and training (VET) course, including a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, as part of your high school education.

There are also some exceptions to the eligibility conditions described above, such as for Aboriginal people.

Use the Skills Navigator to find a course and check your eligibility.

Home schooled students

Eligibility for Smart and Skilled is extended to registered home schooled students whose training commences on or after 1 January 2017.

Apprentices and trainees

NSW apprentices and some new-entrant trainees may be eligible for a government subsidy for the training that supports their apprenticeship or traineeship.

Under the NSW Government fee-free traineeship initiative, NSW new entrant trainees that commence their training on or after 1 January 2020 may be eligible for fee-free training. For eligible trainees, there will be no requirement to pay the fee.

Types of courses you’re eligible for

Your eligibility for a government-subsidised Smart and Skilled course no longer depends on previous qualifications:

From 2016, all students, regardless of the level of any previous qualifications held, are able to access subsidised Smart and Skilled training up to Certificate III level. This means that even if you have a higher-level qualification you may still be eligible to re-train to enter (or re-enter) the workforce. Previous qualifications do not affect eligibility, but may affect the student fee.

You can also enrol in subsidised training at Certificate IV, Diploma, or Advanced Diploma level, depending on the availability of funding for these courses.

Not eligible for fee-free training?

If you’re not eligible for Smart and Skilled training, or if your preferred course is not on the NSW Skills List, there are other training options available to help you get the skills you need.

ASMI Courses And Funding

CPC30216 – Certificate III in Signs and Graphics

Option 1: Apprenticeship – Training in priority qualifications is fee-free and fully finded by the NSW and Commonwealth governments
Option 2: Standard Student Fee – First Qualification: $2990.00 / Second Qualification Tuition Fees: $3580.00 / Concessional Fees: $240.00
Option 3: Fee For Service – Administration Fee: $30.00, Tuition Fees: $3,500.00 Delivery options – Face to Face or Recognition of Prior Learning
Course Brochure: Certificate III in Signs and Graphics

CUA20420 – Certificate II in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Arts

Option 1: Apprenticeship – Not Available
Option 2: Standard Student Fee – First Qualification: $880.00 / Second Qualification Tuition Fees: $1050.00 / Concessional Fees: $160.00
Option 3: Fee For Service – Administration Fee: $30.00, Tuition Fees: $2,500.00
Course Brochure: Certificate II in Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Cultural Arts

CUA30520 – Certificate III in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Arts

Option 1: Apprenticeship – Not Available
Option 2: Standard Student Fee – First Qualification: $1740.00 / Second Qualification Tuition Fees: $2080.00 / Concessional Fees: $240.00
Option 3: Fee For Service – Administration Fee: $30.00, Tuition Fees: $3,500.00
Course Brochure: Certificate III in Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Cultural Arts