From September 2025, the allocation of the Certificate III in Individual Support will move to a managed allocation, with providers who have demonstrated a strong track record of quality training, high completions and employer partnerships being invited to deliver the qualification.
The change from an on-demand to a managed allocation approach aims to support a pipeline of fit-for-purpose skilled workers for the sector. This change does not impact delivery to VET for secondary enrolled students, which will continue to be available on-demand.
This new approach supports Our Policy Direction for Skills in South Australia and the government’s commitment to connect learners to the right training and increase completions.
The government’s investment in care sector training
Since 2021-22, the South Australian Government has invested more than $60 million in the delivery of Certificate III in Individual Support by non-government registered training organisations (RTOs).
This investment has supported almost 10,000 South Australians to complete government funded training opportunities, providing a significant number of skilled workers for the care sector.
In 2025-26, the targeted number of subsidised new training places for the Certificate III in Individual Support across TAFE SA and non-government RTOs will be consistent with levels supported in 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The Certificate III in Individual Support remains the largest supported subsidised course in South Australia and non-government RTOs will continue to deliver the majority of training places.
The state and federal governments’ $2.3 billion investment in skills, through the National Skills Agreement, remains unchanged.
Key dates
July 2025: Changes to how the South Australian Government will subsidise the Certificate III in Individual Support were outlined in a Notice to Providers.
August 2025: Allocation logic was developed by Skills SA.
September 2025: Information session held with RTOs, followed by Phase 1 of RTO allocation offers (by 19 September) and contracting.
December 2025: Phase 2 RTO Allocation offers following review and re-distribution of places
January to March 2026: Engagement with RTOs for 2026-27 approach.
April to June 2026: RTOs Allocations offers for 2026-27.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since 2021-22, the South Australian Government has invested more than $60 million in the Certificate III in Individual Support delivered by non-government RTOs. This is in addition to delivery provided by TAFE SA.
Since then, almost 10,000 South Australians have completed a government funded training place in the Certificate III in Individual Support, providing a significant number of skilled workers for the care sector.
The Certificate III in Individual Support remains the largest supported subsidised course in South Australia.
In 2025-26, the targeted number of subsidised new training places for the Certificate III in Individual Support across TAFE SA and non-government RTOs will be consistent with levels supported in 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The change from an on-demand to a managed allocation approach aims to support a pipeline of fit-for-purpose skilled workers, by targeting government investment to RTOs with a track record of outcomes.
No. The STL communicates the courses and conditions under which the South Australian Government funds accredited training delivered by independent training providers who hold a Funded Activities Agreement (FAA) with Skills SA.
TAFE SA does not have a FAA with Skills SA. TAFE SA’s funded training delivery and services is supported by Funding and Operational arrangements with the Department of State Development.
Existing subsidised students receiving funded training delivered by independent RTOs are not impacted by the change. The government will honour the subsidy arrangements relevant at the time the training account was created.
Once training providers exhaust their allocation, they will not be able to create any new training accounts for the 2025-26 financial year.
Skills SA will monitor activity over the next couple of months to determine if further places should/can be made available in a second allocation phase in December 2025.
All training places offered through the allocation process will need to be created by 30 June 2026. No extensions will be possible. Skills SA will work with in-scope RTOs during 2025-26 to support allocations for 2026-27.
Yes, all Training Accounts created under a managed allocation will consume a funded place, even prior to commencement of classes. South Australia’s Upfront Assessment of Need process is in place to help ensure each subsidised student will be the right fit for their course, and that the student will get the support they need to successfully complete their training.
If a student withdraws prior to commencing classes and you would like to re-use the funding place due to exceptional circumstances that Skills SA should be made aware of, then please submit a request to SkillsContracts@sa.gov.au.
According to the FAA, RTOs can only create Training Accounts for students who are due to commence training 30 days or less into the future. If a student defers their course prior to class commencement and will be recommencing more than 30 days after the Training Account creation, then the RTO will need to close the Training Account.
Once a student has commenced their training, then RTOs can allow students to take leave from enrolment for a period of up to six months. In these situations, the RTO should update the Training Account to reflect ‘Leave from Enrolment’ status.
Skills SA considers requests to re-activate Training Accounts on a case-by-case basis. If a Training Account has been closed due to an error, RTOs can request Training Account re-activation by sending an email to SkillsContracts@sa.gov.au.
RTOs that accept an offer of training places from Skills SA will receive a Funded Activities Annexure outlining the specifics of the managed allocation. Once the annexure is executed, RTOs may start enrolling eligible students. Prior to commencement of training delivery for a student, RTOs must use the Skills and Employment Portal to:
- locate an existing Participant Profile (or create a new one) for the eligible student; and
- create a Training Account under the STL – Managed Allocation funding program and indicate the Contract ID (JF-00xxxx) shown in your Funded Activities Annexure.