The Albanese Government will support the design and delivery of up to 28 microcredential courses from 18 universities to help meet skills needs in priority industries.
The 28 courses were selected from more than 90 applications to the first round of the Government’s Microcredentials Pilot in Higher Education program.
A total of $18.5 million will be provided to support the development of the courses in priority areas including IT, engineering, science, health, and education.
Microcredentials are short, focused courses in a specific area of study, designed to teach and upskill learners with targeted, job-relevant skills.
The Pilot program is part of the Albanese Government’s broader efforts to promote microcredentials, including the MicroCred Seeker platform launched in December 2022.
This online platform, MicroCred Seeker, features 425 microcredential courses from 56 registered providers, enabling Australians to search and compare courses that align with their career goals.
The list includes more than 80 technology, engineering and IT courses offered by 16 higher education providers.
The Government will now engage with the 18 successful universities to finalise conditions of grant arrangements.
A second round of funding is planned within the next 12 months, which will allow for more higher education providers to apply to participate in the Pilot.
Comment attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:
“Microcredentials can help Australians upskill and reskill to prepare for the jobs of the future.
“This Pilot means more Australians can get the skills in areas we need, such as teaching, nursing, and engineering.”
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