Tertiary and Continuing Upskilling: Ineligibility for Government funding

[mcuzzy]

Just gotta say this is one of the worst things introduced into the study system and a lot of people are having problems with it.

If someone needs a certain certificate but already have a higher cert/dip, they are no longer eligible for government funding. That wouldn't be that bad if so many courses weren't so expensive.

Introduced to stop those who just go from course to course for years and years, racking up debt. Why not just set the cap lower rather than prevent people from doing a qualification they will need?

Anybody else needing a lower cert or wanting a change in career and having or had this issue?

 

[Borry]

A potential problem given the current job market for many tertiary skilled people under five years experience.

 

[Teagueeee15]

Just gotta say this is one of the worst things introduced into the study system and a lot of people are having problems with it.

If someone needs a certain certificate but already have a higher cert/dip, they are no longer eligible for government funding. That wouldn't be that bad if so many courses weren't so expensive.

Introduced to stop those who just go from course to course for years and years, racking up debt. Why not just set the cap lower rather than prevent people from doing a qualification they will need?

Anybody else needing a lower cert or wanting a change in career and having or had this issue?

I had this issue. If you happen to be unemployed and registered with a Job Services Australia Provider, they will in many cases pay for you to do the training course, so you are indirectly still eligible for government funding.

 

[toxic]

Just gotta say this is one of the worst things introduced into the study system and a lot of people are having problems with it.

If someone needs a certain certificate but already have a higher cert/dip, they are no longer eligible for government funding. That wouldn't be that bad if so many courses weren't so expensive.

Introduced to stop those who just go from course to course for years and years, racking up debt. Why not just set the cap lower rather than prevent people from doing a qualification they will need?

Anybody else needing a lower cert or wanting a change in career and having or had this issue?

Are you of the belief that previously if someone held a cert 4 but wanted to do a cert 3 they would be eligible?

 

[mcuzzy]

Are you of the belief that previously if someone held a cert 4 but wanted to do a cert 3 they would be eligible?

Actually not sure about Cert 3 to be honest because it wasn't mentioned, but anything above cert 4, yeah.

 

[toxic]

Actually not sure about Cert 3 to be honest because it wasn't mentioned, but anything above cert 4, yeah.

Not sure about that.
The whole purpose of the funding was to UPskill
I'm 99.9% sure if you held a higher or equivalent certificate level you would not be eligible for VTG funding.
There were exception clauses for specific courses identified as "Skills Shortage" areas

 

[DoubleO7]

If you are under 20 years of age on the 1st January, you can enrol into any certificate level course; however, if you are over 20, then it comes down to upskilling your highest certificate level qualification.

Now, there are ways around this. If you haven't completed any course within the past 2-3 years, simply leave the qualification section empty on the enrolment form.

 

[mcuzzy]

If you are under 20 years of age on the 1st January, you can enrol into any certificate level course; however, if you are over 20, then it comes down to upskilling your highest certificate level qualification.

Now, there are ways around this. If you haven't completed any course within the past 2-3 years, simply leave the qualification section empty on the enrolment form.

Why 2-3 years? Would they not check back further, especially now that students require USI numbers?

 

[DoubleO7]

Why 2-3 years? Would they not check back further, especially now that students require USI numbers?

That is correct.

The USI registry was introduced earlier this year. So basically, if you have declared that you've completed a qualification on an enrolment form (2015), the Department of Education/Industry will keep a record of it, anything before that, nada.

 

[raskolnikov]

I had this issue. If you happen to be unemployed and registered with a Job Services Australia Provider, they will in many cases pay for you to do the training course, so you are indirectly still eligible for government funding.

This. When I came back from living overseas I registered for Newstart. Then I decided to do my Dip Ed. However I wasn't eligible for Austudy. I got my Dip Ed course approved and was able to stay on Newstart.

 

[Bostonian]

I do believe that if you've previously done a cert 3 at a TAFE and now wish to do another one if you have a health care card you won't pay the full fees even if you're ineligible for other concessions.

You'd pay whats called the standard fee rather than the full fee.

 

[ava2015]

I'm in a similar situation at the moment. I've just gone onto the Newstart and want to study next year and do a Cert 4 and possibly a Diploma after that.
I've checked out the Smart and Skilled site and the courses I want to do are on it and I'm eligible for it (according to their site) but I did a uni degree (finished in 2005) and a Tafe Cert 4 (finished in 2006). So even though it's been 9-10 years since I've studied I'm not sure if I do a course of either a Cert 4 or higher if it's going to mess up getting Newstart or Austudy. I tried calling Centerlink to find out and after a 50 min wait I got through to someone and they weren't too sure and vaguely mentioned the whole 'Can't do 2 courses of the same level in 10 years' but couldn't give me the proper info and tried to palm me off onto someone else. Which I then gave up.

I understand there's a tiny amount of people who want to sit on Austudy and do courses for 20 years. However I'm trying to do the right thing and build my work skills and qualifications but they might not let me due to me studying when I was young. However I could walk into the pub at lunch time and find people on the drink claiming Newstart and not bothering to do anything.