Jobs & Skills WA contracted providers: Overview of programs

Private training providers are invited to apply to receive WA Government funding to deliver identified priority vocational education and training programs in Western Australia.
Last updated:

Through a competitive tender process, the Department selects suitable registered training organisations (RTOs) who are then offered a contract to be placed on a "preferred provider panel" (the panel) for the following programs that meet the State’s priorities. 

  • Apprenticeships and traineeships
  • Pre-apprenticeships and pre-traineeships
  • Enterprise Training Program
  • Participation programs
  • Priority Industry Training Program

Once on the panel, an RTO is then able to request funding under Jobs & Skills WA for student places. 

Further detail about each of these programs is available below. 

Apprenticeships and traineeships

Structured programs with a combination of on and off the job training, where apprentices and trainees gain hands-on skills and knowledge.

Apprenticeships are predominantly in traditional and technical trades such as construction, electrical, hairdressing, commercial cookery etc. Traineeships are in non-trade related areas such as information technology, business and aged care.

Pre-apprenticeships and pre-traineeships

Pre-apprenticeships and pre-traineeships are Certificate II level programs designed to provide industry specific training, combined with real work placement, to provide entry level job-ready skills and a pathway into an apprenticeship or traineeship. 

Enterprise training programs

A structured partnership between an RTO and an enterprise, designed to develop and implement a training program to upskill the enterprise's existing workforce to meet current demands.

Training funded through this program will be targeted to existing workers in the Allied Health and Social Assistance sectors who provide direct care services. Priority will be given to training linked to the implementation of the National Disability Incentive Scheme (NDIS) and in meeting training and skill gap requirements in the aged care sector. 

This demonstration program will be progressively evaluated and the resulting outcomes will inform any future procurement of training services under the program.

Participation programs

Focuses on the delivery of training for those sections of the population that are under-represented in the workforce and face barriers to mainstream training arrangements.

Student groups and eligibility requirements for the program are outlined in the business rules for the RTO's contract. A list of available courses for each student group is on the Jobs & Skills WA website

There are three categories of Participation programs, as follows.

Participation–Work Readiness

Aims to assist unemployed people who are job ready, seeking the relevant skills and experiences to access meaningful work so they can participate fully in the workforce.

The program has a targeted approach to recruiting students from the eligible target groups via referrals from an approved referral agent. These referral agents are organisations that offer support services to individuals including the Disability Services Commission, selected Job Active providers, Jobs and Skills Centres, and community-based organisations. 

Participation–Equity

Aims to assist unemployed people who have barriers accessing mainstream training to become job ready, so they can participate fully in the workforce. The eligible target groups under this program are; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders; Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD); people with disabilities, and youth at risk.

The program has a targeted approach to recruiting students from the eligible target groups via referrals from an approved referral agent. These referral agents are organisations that offer support services to individuals including the Disability Services Commission, selected Job Active providers, Jobs and Skills Centres, and community-based organisations.

Aboriginal School-based Training (ASBT) program

Provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island students with the opportunity to gain basic skills and training, and to commence an apprenticeship or traineeship while at school. It has two pathways:

  1. employment-based training (school-based apprenticeships and traineeships); and
  2. institutional based training.

Only the qualifications listed on the ASBT payment table are available for the ASBT target group. RTOs will be invited and approved to undertake ASBT institutional based training based on current contract delivery and performance.

Approved ASBT RTOs cannot recruit ASBT students. The School Sector Committee comprising representatives from the three schools sectors — public, independent and Catholic — will allocate places, in consultation with their schools.

A list of ASBT preferred providers is available in the Management of the RTO contract section.

Priority Industry Training Program

This program focuses on making available a range of qualifications that address priority industry needs of the State through a non employment-based training pathway.

It has two target groups; jobseekers and existing workers.  The qualifications offered may be delivered in any region throughout WA for both target groups.