Free and Government-Subsidised Education
Prace provides free and subsidised education programs and courses through multiple government-funded programs. These programs can help you access training, build your skills for work and study, and support you in engaging with your local community.
Programs that support our students
Skills First and Learn Local
The Victorian Government’s SKILLS FIRST Program makes vocational training more accessible to people who need skills to get a job or to undertake further education. The LEARN LOCAL program provides opportunities for adult learners in Victoria to gain the skills they need for study, work and life.
To be eligible for government-subsidised training through Skills First or Learn Local you must be:
- an Australian citizen, or
- an Australian permanent resident, or
- a New Zealand citizen, or
- an eligible Asylum Seeker (see Asylum Seeker VET program below).
If you are still enrolled at secondary school you are not eligible for a government subsidy through these programs.
You must be over 17, or if you’re under 17 you must have a formal exemption from school.
If you are enrolling in an accredited foundation skills course (our accredited EAL courses, or Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways), your highest qualification recognised in Australia must be below Diploma level.
Skills First funding is limited to:
- two courses at a time
- two courses in a year
There is no limit on the number of subsidised pre-accredited courses you can complete each year.
For more information about eligibility for Skills First, go to THE VICTORIAN SKILLS GATEWAY ELIGIBILITY INDICATOR.
For more information about eligibility for Skills First and Learn Local pre-accredited courses, call us on 9462 6077.
Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)
AMEP provides migrants and refugees with unlimited access to free English as an Additional Language (EAL) classes. Prace is a member of the Melbourne AMEP and we offer a range of AMEP funded EAL courses and certificates at Merrilands Community Centre in Reservoir.
AMEP helps you
- Access unlimited free classes
- Learn about Australia’s culture, local services, your rights & the law, workplace practices, & gain valuable employment skills to settle successfully into Australian life
- Access expert advice on how to achieve your study and employment goals
- Access FREE childcare while you study
Learn more on our AMEP page.
The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) is funded by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs.
Skills for Education and Employment program (SEE)
The Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program can help you preprare for further study and employment.
Courses are for all eligible Australians aged 15 and over: adults, migrants and young people.
- Improve your reading, writing and maths skills for further study, getting a job or going further in your curent job.
- Improve computer and technology skills
- Gain experience by participating in work placements
Learn more on our SEE Program page.
How to join the SEE program
Contact our team at Prace for further information about how the SEE Program can help you. Phone 9462 6077 or visit us at Merrilands Community Centre.
You can also contact your employment services provider or Centrelink to talk about a referral to the SEE Program. You will need the codes below.
Prace Site Code: KX48
Activity ID Code: 100467426
The Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
Asylum Seeker VET program
The Asylum Seeker VET program gives eligible asylum seekers access to accredited and pre-accredited training subsidised by the Victorian Government.
You are eligible if you:
- hold any humanitarian, protection or refugee visa in Australia; or
- have applied for a humanitarian, protection or refugee visa and hold a bridging visa for this purpose; or
- have made an application under s.417 or s.48b of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) which is yet to be determined and hold a bridging visa.
You must have a visa with study rights. If your course includes a work placement you must have work rights.
Learn more about the Asylum Seeker VET program.