Workforce Training Innovation Fund

Who can apply:: Not-for-profit groups, businesses, individuals
Status:: Closed
Funding:: $50,000 - $5,000,000

Overview

The Workforce Training Innovation Fund (WTIF) is a targeted, Skills First funding stream. WTIF creates opportunities for the joint exploration of new ideas and solutions to enhance workplace productivity and employment growth in priority industries identified by the Victorian Government, in collaboration with industry partners and Skills First training providers.

The Victorian Government recognises that there are labour market shortages and industry skills demand that require innovative and collaborative thinking and approaches to challenge existing practices in skills development, training methods and product design.

WTIF supports training providers, industry, employers, peak bodies and industry associations to collaboratively identify and address the complex barriers to responsive training through the development of innovative solutions.

Innovation in WTIF is defined as change that adds value, transforming the lives of Victorians via fit-for-purpose developed and delivered skills training models, which drive economic growth. Eligible innovation projects include (for example):

introducing new or diverse concepts, models, services, and products
disrupting, challenging, and advancing existing practices for our future workforces.

While innovation as a concept can be broadly defined, the Victorian Government is seeking to fund projects that specifically solve complex and cross-sectoral issues facing the Victorian economy.

Innovative projects will enable an appropriate, relevant and timely response to employment needs and find new and improved ways to get learners skilled and employed in high-priority occupations and industries that drive economic growth in Victoria.

The objectives of WTIF are to:

Improve the efficiency, flexibility and responsiveness of the training and TAFE system in meeting industry skill needs and business training requirements in the areas of the Victorian Government’s economic growth priorities.
Encourage partnerships between industry bodies, organisations, TAFE and training organisations to collaboratively address complex or cross-sectoral issues facing the skills sector that require innovative thinking and modes of delivery.
Build new insights and evidence to support the design, adoption, and implementation of sustainable innovation that addresses priority challenges across Victoria’s training and TAFE system.
Identify new approaches to skills development to improve the capability and adaptability of participants/students.

Please refer to who can apply to identify eligibility industry’s role in a potential project, or view Eligibility and further information about the application process below.

Information session

Workforce Training Innovation Fund Presentation (PPTX)

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If you are unable to read any of the content of this page, you can contact the content owners for an accessible version:
Contact email: wtif@ecodev.vic.gov.au
Contact number: (03) 9651 9999

Guidelines

Every WTIF project must have a lead and a partner.
The lead is the authorised signatory to the common funding agreement.
Please refer to the ‘Who can apply’ document to identify eligibility of either role in a potential project.
Applications will be considered from a range of organisations:
- Victorian training providers that hold a current Skills First VET funding contract. This includes TAFE (including dual-sector universities), Learn Locals and private Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)
- industry
- employers
- unions
- peak bodies
- industry associations.
Funding up to $5 million across categories is available for collaboration between industry and training providers to deliver innovation in training and workforce development. Funding can be used for:
1. New training, products and methods
  Innovation in course development, product design and training delivery, supporting training and TAFE system improvements that drive social, economic and global success.
2. Workforce training and skills development
  Improving accessibility, relevance and delivery of workplace skills to support business productivity and learner employability.
Project activities that will not be considered for grant funding under the WTIF program include:
- ongoing funding
- ongoing training delivery
- ongoing service provision and licensing arrangements
- duplication of funding received via other grant programs
- ‘business as usual’ professional development of an organisation’s/association’s staff and/or members
- projects that do not lead to employment or workforce upskilling or cross skilling
- travel and accommodation costs
- capital works.
If the project proposal includes components that are eligible for funding under other Victorian Government grant programs, the application can still be considered for WTIF. Alternative complementary funding you have applied for or received must be outlined in the grant application at the relevant section.
There are 2 WTIF application streams:
1. Direct applications (Stream 1a and Stream 1b)
2. Participatory design applications (Stream2)
Stream 1: Direct applications stream
There are 2 different types of Stream 1 applications that can be lodged under this stream.
1A – TAFE only
Stream 1A applications are only available to TAFE providers. All TAFE applicants will have access to guidance and resources to develop applications in line with government priorities.
1B – Skills First training providers
Stream 1B applications are available to any Skills First training provider.
All applications, (Streams 1A and 1B) must include industry participation as a core feature of the proposal.
Stream 2: Participatory design stream
For each round of WTIF, DJSIR will identify high-priority issues or sectors facing complex and cross-cutting issues and may open up Stream 2 to invite stakeholders to participate in a joint stakeholder approach to developing WTIF project concepts. The exact process will be updated in each round of WTIF, and detailed on this website, but may follow these general steps:
1. DJSIR communicates the priority issues or sectors for the round of funding.
2. The Victorian Skills Authority will provide guidance as well as access to a comprehensive data dashboard titled ‘Employment Forecast Dashboard’ for applicants to ensure alignment to the identified Victorian Government priorities and gaps that underpin the Victorian Skills Plan.
3. Stakeholders participate in codesign workshops, led by the VSA, and develop applications in line with the outcomes of the workshops.
4. Prior to submitting the online application form, all parties must approve the content of the application form, including the key deliverables and budget.
5. For noting: An outcome of the meeting is to agree on a governance structure which would include identification of the lead of the project who will/would become the signatory to a common funding agreement (should the project be approved by the Minister).
All Stream 2 applications are to be lodged using DJSIR’s online application form. A link to the application form will be provided following consultation at the workshops.
Applications will be assessed by the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) against the eligibility and assessment criteria noting applications should address the priorities identified by the Victorian Government.
The following 3 assessment criteria are weighted as follows:
- Criterion 1: Strength of innovation (40%)
- Criterion 2: Alignment to state government economic growth priorities (40%)
- Criterion 3: Outcomes (20%)
All applications will also be required to provide and demonstrate:
- capability and capacity to deliver the project
- sound project governance and risk management
- a budget that clearly outlines and provides justification of proposed expenditure and value for money, using the supplied budget template
- an evaluation plan using the supplied evaluation plan template
- details on how the proposal will be sustained post-funding
- a plan outlining how best practice and learnings will be shared across the training sector.

Updated 8 January 2024