Eighteen Australian universities are offering up to 28 microcredential courses in an effort to address the skills gap in priority industries, which include engineering, renewable energy, and construction.
The Australian government has allocated a total of $18.5 million to support the development of the courses, which were selected from more than 90 applications to the first round of the government’s Microcredentials Pilot in Higher Education program.
Microcredentials are short courses focused on a specific area of study designed to teach and upskill learners with targeted job-relevant skills.
The Microcredentials Pilot in Higher Education program is part of a broader effort of the Albanese government to promote microcredentials and follows the recent launch of the MicroCred Seeker platform, which features 425 courses from 56 registered providers.
“Microcredentials can help Australians upskill and reskill to prepare for the jobs of the future,” said Minister for Education Jason Clare. “This Pilot means more Australians can get the skills in areas we need, such as teaching, nursing, and engineering.”
A second round of funding for the pilot program is planned within the next 12 months, which will allow for more higher education providers to apply to participate.
The universities included in the first round of the pilot program include Australian Catholic University, Central Queensland University, Charles Darwin University, Curtin University, La Trobe University, RMIT University, University of New South Wales, University of South Australia, University of Tasmania, and the University of Technology Sydney.
For the full list of higher education providers and the microcredential courses they offer, visit ministers.education.gov.au.
