NSW Funding
Earn while you Learn
Trainees get paid while gaining valuable skills and qualifications, combining work experience with formal training.
Government-Funded Training
Through the Smart and Skilled program, eligible trainees receive subsidised training, reducing or eliminating course costs.
Hands-On Industry Experience
Trainees develop real-world skills by working in a professional environment, increasing their employability.
Career Advancement Opportunities
Completing a traineeship can open doors to higher-level qualifications, promotions, and long-term career growth.
Nationally Recognised Qualification
Trainees earn a formal qualification that is recognised across Australia, giving them a competitive edge in the job market.
National Skills Training Institute (NSTI) is an approved Smart and Skilled training provider in New South Wales. This government program gives eligible students the opportunity to study nationally recognised qualifications at a reduced cost, making vocational education and training more accessible and affordable.
Through Smart and Skilled, students can gain the skills they need to start a new career or advance in the animal care and grooming industry, with funding support from the NSW Government helping to lower tuition fees.
What is the Smart and Skilled Program
The Smart and Skilled program is a New South Wales Government initiative that helps people gain the skills and qualifications they need to find a job and advance their careers. It provides eligible students with fee subsidies, making nationally recognised training more affordable and accessible across a wide range of industries, including animal care and grooming.
As an approved Smart and Skilled training provider, National Skills Training Institute (NSTI) can deliver subsidised qualifications and traineeships in NSW. This means students and employers can access high-quality, nationally recognised training with significantly reduced fees, ensuring more people have the opportunity to learn, upskill, and achieve their career goals.
NSTI is also approved to deliver traineeships under Smart and Skilled, allowing students to learn while working in the industry. Traineeships combine formal study with valuable hands-on experience, giving learners the chance to build real-world skills and knowledge while being supported by both their employer and our expert trainers.
NSW Funding Eligibility
- Be 15 years or older.
- Not be enrolled as a school student.
- Living or Working in NSW
- Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, humanitarian visa holder or New Zealand citizen
What Qualifications are Funded?
Under the NSW Government’s Smart and Skilled program, eligible students can complete their traineeship with heavily subsidised training fees. This program makes it easier to gain a nationally recognised qualification while you learn on the job and develop practical, real-world skills.
Funded Qualifications Available at NSTI:
- ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care
- ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services
- ACM30122 Certificate III in Animal Care Services – Pet Grooming
- ACM40322 Certificate IV in Animal Behaviour and Training (dog trainer)
These traineeships combine workplace learning with professional training and support, giving you the confidence, skills, and qualifications to succeed in the animal care and pet services industry.
NSW Traineeship Locations
National Skills Training Institute offers traineeships across NSW. These include the following areas:
- Sydney
- Central Coast
- Hunter Valley
- Newcastle
- Illawarra
- Mid North Coast
- Illawarra
- Mid North Coast
- Murray
- New England and North West
- Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
- Richmond – Tweed
- Riverina
- Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven
Additional Information
How to find a course and enrol
Use Skills Compare / the NSW course finder tools to check your eligibility, compare courses, providers, and estimate fees. – Course Finder
Check whether your preferred course and provider are approved under Smart and Skilled (see the Smart and Skilled Provider List) – Course Provider
Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, fees, availability, and any exemptions or support you may be eligible for. – Enrolling into the Smart and Skilled Program
Submit enrolment — your provider will verify evidence (eligibility documentation, USI, etc.) before final admission.
Fees and Charges
Each course has varying subsidies that NSW Smart and Skilled funding provides. A quick way to find the fees for a trainee is to visit the course page to find the smart and skilled fees based upon the trainee’s circumstances:
1. Visit the NSW Skills Website – CLICK HERE
2. Search for your course and include your location
3. Select the Traineeship program type
4. Check Eligibility (this will provide an estimate of any fees for the course)
Support for disadvantaged students & exemptions
Smart and Skilled includes several supports for students who may face barriers:
Fee exemptions: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students with disability, dependents of certain DSSP recipients, etc.
Fee-free scholarships: Available for training up to Certificate IV for eligible students (e.g. those who’ve experienced domestic violence, been in out-of-home care, etc.).
Concession fees: If you are a recipient (or dependent) of certain Commonwealth benefits, you might pay a lower student fee.
Smart and Skilled Policies
NSW Smart and Skilled Website – https://skills.education.nsw.gov.au/
NSW Smart and Skilled Fee Administration Policy – Fee Administration Policy
NSW Smart and Skilled Student Eligibility Policy – Student Eligibility Policy
NSW Smart and Skilled Consumer Protection Strategy – Consumer Protection Strategy
