To the Australian Government, Department of Education, and Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

What We’re Fighting For: 
We, the undersigned, call on the Australian Government to make accredited and nationally recognised education and training more affordable, flexible and accessible for Australians who work, support families, care for others or manage other significant commitments.

For many Australians, further education is not simply a matter of wanting to study. It is a matter of whether they can afford to.

Thousands of people want to improve their skills, change careers, gain qualifications or pursue better employment opportunities. However, the rising cost of living, expensive course fees, limited flexible study options and demanding work schedules can make these goals feel impossible.

What We Are Calling For:
We urge the Australian Government, in partnership with state and territory governments and education providers, to:

1. Expand affordable and subsidised accredited courses: Increase access to low cost and government funded qualifications, including certificates, diplomas and nationally recognised vocational training, without unnecessarily restrictive eligibility requirements.

2. Provide more flexible online and self-paced study: Encourage registered training organisations, TAFEs and other accredited providers to offer genuine self-paced learning, evening classes, weekend study and flexible attendance options.

3. Support Australians who work full-time: Develop education pathways that allow people to gain qualifications without having to sacrifice employment, financial security or family responsibilities.

4. Reduce financial barriers: Expand payment assistance, affordable instalment options, scholarships and subsidies for people who are employed but still cannot reasonably afford course fees.

5. Improve access in regional and rural Australia: Ensure people living outside major cities have access to a broader range of accredited online courses, local practical training opportunities and flexible assessment arrangements.

6. Make mandatory practical placements more accessible: Where placements are required, encourage flexible scheduling, recognition of relevant existing workplace experience where appropriate, and financial assistance for eligible students who must take unpaid time away from work.

Why This Matters:
Education is not a privilege that should only be available to those with financial stability, spare time or the ability to attend classes during traditional hours.

A person working 40 hours a week should still have the opportunity to pursue a qualification.

A parent raising children should still have the opportunity to build a career.

Someone living in regional Australia should not be disadvantaged simply because they cannot attend a campus in a major city.

And someone who wants to improve their future should not be prevented from doing so because they cannot afford thousands of dollars in course fees.

Making accredited education more accessible would not only benefit individuals. It would also support Australia’s workforce, help address skills shortages, encourage career development and create greater economic opportunity.

Our Message To The Australian Government:
We are not asking for qualifications to be handed out without effort, assessment or appropriate standards.

We are asking for a fair opportunity to earn them.

We are asking for an education system that recognises that not every student is fresh out of high school, financially supported or able to dedicate their entire week to studying.

Many Australians are already working hard to support themselves and their families. They should not be excluded from further education because of those responsibilities.

Education should open doors, not create more barriers.

We call on the Australian Government to take meaningful action to expand affordable, flexible and accessible accredited education pathways for all Australians, regardless of their employment status, financial circumstances or personal commitments.

 

Sign this petition to support a future where working Australians can afford to learn, qualify and progress without having to choose between education and everyday life.