With the TAFE Autumn break coming to a close, Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson is reminding local students and trainees to take advantage of the NSW Government’s Regional Student and Apprentice Travel Card.

The card provides eligible apprentices, trainees and university students living in regional, rural and remote areas with a $250 prepaid card to help ease the cost of travel and support access to education and training.

Mr Anderson said he had been flooded with follow-up enquiries about the card since launched in January, with local students eager to take up the opportunity to save a bit of cash getting from home to their training organisation.

“I know how tough it can be for students and apprentices to make ends meet, particularly with the cost of living so high at the moment,” Mr Anderson said.

“Every dollar counts when you’re getting an education, which is why I was a big supporter of the new travel card when it was first proposed last year.”

The Regional Student and Apprentice Travel Card was launched after the success of the Regional Seniors Travel Card, which saw more than 7,700 local seniors take advantage of the cost-of-living measure.

“I know local seniors have really benefitted from our Regional Seniors Travel Card and I’m confident that the same success is being replicated among our students and apprentices,” Mr Anderson added.

“If there’s any eligible student or apprentice in our region who still hasn’t taken advantage of this card, now is the time to jump on the Service NSW website and get your applications in.”

To be considered eligible a participant must:

• meet relevant citizenship or permanent residency requirements  
• reside in a regional location outside Greater Sydney and the Newcastle and Wollongong City Council boundaries
• be between the ages of 16 and pension age (currently 66 and 6 months)
• be undertaking an active apprenticeship or traineeship registered with Training Services NSW or an undergraduate university course. Courses must be full-time and face-to-face
• be enrolled in an eligible campus. (Select campuses are still being defined).

For more information please visit Service NSW.