Free TAFE expands to mental health

MENTAL health training has been added to the list of free courses offered at Federation TAFE.

The move to introduce a certificate IV in mental health was formally announced at the education facility last week, with the course joining about 30 other available fee free training programs.

Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle said the addition of the certificate IV under the State Government’s Priority Courses program was based on industry need now and into the future.

“It’s an extraordinary opportunity,” she said. “We know that over the next five years we’re going to need as many as 50,000 new people to be working within mental health.

“The Royal Commission is coming, but we also know that recovery from COVID is not just going to be economic… a lot of the recovery we’re going to need to put in and look at is around the community, and we know that a lot of people have struggled.”

Current enrolments in the certificate IV in mental health were sitting at about 30 students, and Federation TAFE’s pro-vice chancellor Liam Sloan said the places were uncapped and there was no means testing to sign up for the program.

Mr Sloan also said learning elements to the new course were based on challenges that currently exist within the health care sector.

“I want to acknowledge the great work our team have done working and collaborating with industry to make sure the program that we’ll be offering is exactly what industry needs,” he said.

“Our graduates will be able to hit the ground running and support our people within our regions and nationally around the important discussion point of mental health.”

“We are proud and privileged that the government has endorsed the importance of mental health through the free TAFE certificate.”

Like many TAFE training qualifications, there are different potential outcomes from gaining the qualification.

As well as entering the workforce the certificate IV in mental health could open doors to further study opportunities.

That’s the plan for Jacob Sasella who recently enrolled in the free course.

“I’m looking to go onto further study, hopefully do a diploma, and then after that I’d like to work in the mental health sector, preferably with youth or something like that.”

For Mr Sasella, the choice to look at mental health care as a career came from personal experience.

“It’s something that I’m pretty passionate about,” he said. “When I grew up my mum was working in mental health and that’s sort of rubbed off on me, and now I have a bit of a bug for it.

“If it’s something I like, I’ll stick with it and I think free TAFE is the perfect opportunity to get a taste for something that I want to do.”

The certificate IV in mental health joins about 30 other free courses offered by Federation TAFE under the Priority Courses initiative.

Mr Sloan said the fee free training provides opportunity to access higher education.

“It’s hugely important,” he said. “We have a number of people who come from disadvantaged backgrounds who can’t simply afford education and training.

“This free TAFE opens up opportunities for our people to embrace education, to transform their lives, to give them sustainable employment and a sustainable future that they might not have had.”