A new assessment of skills training across remote, rural, and regional Australia highlights the complementarity of independent Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and public TAFE colleges.

The 2024 Remote, Rural and Regional Skills Training Snapshot is published by the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA), the peak body representing independent skills training, higher education, and global education providers.

Data in the 2024 snapshot shows that about 1.12 million students engaged in skill training in remote, rural, and regional settings choose to study with an independent RTO.

This is 87.3% of all students in skills training across these regions.

Troy Williams, ITECA Chief Executive says investing in skilling, upskilling, and reskilling workers in remote, rural, and regional Australia drives economic vitality, fosters community resilience, and bridges opportunity gaps.

“This is what makes the work of ITECA members so critical to these communities.”

ITECA’s view is that the data shows the need for the Australian, state and territory governments to put students at the heart of the skills training system, ensuring that they are supported to study with the provider of their choice.

“The key to improving skills training across remote, rural and regional Australia relies on a mutually supportive network of quality independent RTOs and public TAFE colleges,” Williams says.

The official data on student satisfaction shows why students trust independent RTOs to deliver the training to help them achieve their life and career goals.

The 2024 Remote, Rural and Regional Skills Training Snapshot also highlights that 86.4% of female students in remote, rural, and regional areas study with independent RTOs – that’s 505,255 students.

In the Regionalisation Ambition 2032 vision statement, the Regional Australia Institute (RIA) sets a national goal to increase the share of skilled workers employed in regional Australia to 80% of the regional workforce. .

ITECA is an active participant in the Alliance for Regionalisation, a grouping of more than thirty Chief Executive Officers from the most influential peak bodies in the country, with the purpose of working to help bring the Regionalisation Ambition 2032 to life.