Who is eligible to apply for the program?

To be eligible to apply for the Digital Jobs AI Career Conversion, a business must:

  • Be an employing business operating in a key industry currently included in the Economic Growth Statement of:
    • Advanced manufacturing and defence
    • Health Technologies and medical research
    • Circular economy
    • Digital technologies
    • Agribusiness
  • Be applying to upskill an employee currently working in a target occupation listed
  • Be a legal entity with an operating presence in Victoria
  • Have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and held that ABN on and from 1 January 2026
  • Have been registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) on and from 1 January 2026
  • Have met all industrial relations obligations as an employer in accordance with the National Employment Standards.

To be eligible for the 4-6 week training courses, the business must be a small to medium sized business, employing fewer than 200 employees in Victoria.

The business must agree:

  • That they will make their nominated employee/s available for training in the selected training round;
  • That they will provide an opportunity for the employee to apply the training ‘on the job’; and
  • That both the business and their employee/s will participate in program surveys and future program evaluation activities.

Employees participating in training must:

  • Be employed directly by the applicant business and undertake this employment within the state of Victoria
  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Be a full-time or part-time employee (not a casual employee)
  • Have the capability and skills (e.g. technical skills) to complete the proposed training
  • Meet any of the pre-existing requirements of the nominated training course.

The nominated employee/s must currently be employed in one of the AI Career Conversion target occupations, which include:

  • Data & analytics
  • Software development
  • Product management
  • UX design
  • Web development
  • IT systems & solutions
  • Digital marketing, media and communications
  • Business management operations, legal, finance, human resources.

The list of occupations may be updated each round as industry demand for AI skills evolves. Updates will be published on the website.

What courses can I enrol my employee/s in?

The program offers specialist digital skills courses and leadership workshops delivered by leading Victorian universities and TAFEs.
Training will be available in the following areas:

  • Responsible AI – governance and risk
  • Agentic AI - using AI agents
  • Prompt engineering and conversational design
  • AI-powdered software delivery
  • AI in professional practice

The courses will typically be delivered part-time over 4-6 weeks. Workshops will typically be delivered over one day and in-person.

The list of training courses and workshops will be reviewed and updated each round in response to industry demand.

Who is delivering the training?

The following Victorian universities, TAFEs and private training providers will deliver the courses:

  • Federation University
  • Melbourne Business School
  • RMIT University
  • Swinburne University of Technology
  • Victoria University

How many employees can I put through training?

Businesses may access up to 5 vouchers per round subject to availability. Businesses can request only one voucher per employee in each round. Nominated employees must be based in Victoria.

Requests by businesses for additional vouchers per round may be approved at the department’s discretion. Reasons could include businesses in regional Victoria undertaking a digital transformation, businesses upskilling underrepresented cohorts e.g. upskilling women for tech roles, and/or businesses undergoing significant structural adjustment.

A voucher can only be used once and must be used by the assigned business.

Vouchers are valid for up to 6 months from date of issue and must be used to enrol in the next available round of training.

Do I have to pay for the training?

No. Training is free for eligible businesses. Successful applicants must commit to ensuring their nominated employee has an opportunity to apply the training ‘on the job’. This includes ensuring the employee is assigned relevant work activities and tasks to apply and embed their learning.

When selecting a course or workshop, businesses are responsible for understanding the requirements of the training, including time commitments, and how the relevant training will provide their employee with further skills related to their role.

Can we change the course selected or participant enrolled?

Voucher recipients may be able to change workshops, courses or participants prior to enrolling with the training provider, with approval from the department. Changes can be requested by email to digitaljobsprogram@ecodev.vic.gov.au.

If my application is approved, when will training occur?

Training will be delivered in two rounds per year. Round 1 will commence from October 2026 until March 2027. Round 2 will commence from April 2027 until July 2027.
Course details will be updated and published online ahead of each round. Courses availability each round will be subject to change based on industry demand.

How does my business apply?

Businesses can apply through the Digital Jobs – AI Career Conversion portal

Only final applications that are lodged with the department will be considered and assessed. Draft applications that have not been submitted will not be considered.

The person submitting the application must be an employee of the business. The person submitting the application for the business must attest that they have the authority to apply on behalf of the business, and to legally bind it to perform the obligations.

Where can I go for more information on the program?

For further information about the program, please read the Program Guidelines and Digital Jobs – AI Career Conversion Handbook 

You can also contact digitaljobsprogram@ecodev.vic.gov.au