What Skillinvest does

Skillinvest is a community-based not-for-profit Registered Training Organisation (RTO #4192) headquartered in Horsham, Victoria, Australia, with operations spanning five physical locations across the state — Horsham (HQ), Longerenong, Ballarat, Dandenong South, and Charlton — and course delivery extending into South Australia and Tasmania. The organisation employs more than 130 staff and supports approximately 2,000 students and hundreds of apprentices and trainees at any given time. Skillinvest has been operating for nearly 40 years (since 1986) and incorporates the Longerenong College agricultural campus (founded 1889, integrated 2006), which provides a 1,100-hectare commercial farm and residential training facilities.

The company's core offerings are organised around three service lines: Apprenticeships & Traineeships (paid employment combined with accredited training placements across industries), Training & Education (nationally accredited VET courses delivered via the LearnBook learning management system, both onsite at employer workplaces and at Skillinvest training facilities), and Labour Hire & Recruitment Services (supplying pre-screened skilled personnel with full payroll and WorkCover administration). Branded programs include VET Delivered to Secondary Students (VDSS), BuildHER (women in commercial construction with ICON), the Indigenous Traineeship Program (with Victoria Police), and the Statewide Racing Project (with Racing Victoria and Jobs Victoria).

Skillinvest's business model combines four revenue streams: government-funded accredited training (Victorian and Commonwealth subsidies), labour hire (managed services with payroll administration), recruitment fees (professional services on a transaction basis), and contracted community/government employment programs (e.g., Jobs Victoria Mentor Service). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; training fees are positioned below TAFE rates with concession discounts, while labour hire and recruitment pricing is developed case-by-case. GTM is primarily sales-led and community-led, leveraging field-based employer engagement, partnerships with schools, Indigenous cooperatives, local councils, and government bodies, supplemented by direct-to-consumer digital channels including a job board, online registration portals, and social media. The organisation is ASQA-regulated, holds a Victorian Labour Hire Licence, is a Social Traders member, and reports no external ownership or venture backing.

Name

Skillinvest

Legal name

Skillinvest Limited

Website

https://skillinvest.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Skillinvest is a Victorian not-for-profit Registered Training Organisation (RTO #4192) delivering apprenticeships, traineeships, accredited vocational education, labour hire, and recruitment services across five locations in Victoria and into South Australia and Tasmania.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical & Digital Skills Training (BPACANAB), Skilled Trades (Electricians/Plumbers/HVAC/Carpenters) Staffing (BPACAEAB), Crop, Soil & Agronomy Technician Training (EDAOAOAF)

Keywords

• Vocational education training
• Apprenticeship traineeship services
• Labour hire recruitment
• Group training organisation
• Workforce development solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Dandenong

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Training: Skillinvest receives Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding for delivering accredited vocational education and training (VET) courses. As a not-for-profit RTO, fees are considerably lower than TAFEs, with discounted rates for concession card holders and subsidised training available for eligible students.
2. Labour Hire Services: Skillinvest provides skilled and licensed personnel for short-term or long-term assignments under labour hire employment arrangements across all industry types. The organisation handles payroll, taxation, superannuation, and WorkCover for placed workers.
3. Recruitment Services: Tailored recruitment solutions for employers, including sourcing pre-screened candidates from databases, advertising for new candidates, shortlisting, interview coordination, referee checks, and administrative support.
4. Community and Government Contracted Programs: Skillinvest delivers contracted employment and training programs on behalf of government bodies such as Jobs Victoria, the Victorian Government Department of Transport and Planning, and Racing Victoria, addressing labour shortages and employment barriers for priority groups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Skillinvest is a community-based not-for-profit Registered Training Organisation (RTO #4192) that places apprentices and trainees with host employers under a group training model, delivers nationally accredited vocational education and training courses across Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, and provides labour hire and recruitment services to employers. Longerenong College, a subsidiary trading name, offers specialised agricultural education on a 1,100-hectare commercial farm.

Product overview

Skillinvest operates as a multi-service employment and training organisation offering a coordinated portfolio of services. The core offerings include Apprenticeships & Traineeships (placing candidates in paid employment with accredited training), Training & Education through RTO #4192 (delivering nationally recognised courses across Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania), and Labour Hire & Recruitment Services (supplying skilled personnel to employers). Key branded programs include Longerenong College (specialised agricultural education since 1889), VDSS (VET programs for secondary students), and BuildHER (women's construction apprenticeship program). These services connect job seekers with employment opportunities while providing employers with skilled workers trained across industries including automotive, building & construction, agriculture, equine/racing, and business administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeships & Traineeships Placement and support services connecting job seekers with apprenticeships and traineeships across various industries, providing paid employment combined with accredited training. For employers and job seekers across Victoria and interstate.
• Training & Education (RTO #4192) Nationally accredited vocational training courses delivered across Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, with courses spanning Automotive, Building & Construction, Business Administration, Equine/Racing, Hairdressing, Recreational Vehicle, Agriculture and more. Delivered onsite, at Skillinvest campuses, and via the LearnBook online learning platform.
• Labour Hire & Recruitment Services Provision of skilled and licensed personnel for short-term or long-term assignments under labour hire arrangements across all industry types, plus tailored recruitment solutions for employers including candidate sourcing, shortlisting, interview coordination, referee checks and administrative support. Skillinvest handles payroll, taxation, superannuation and WorkCover for placed workers.
• Longerenong College Specialised agricultural education and training institution located 13km north-east of Horsham in the Wimmera region, providing extensive training facilities, accommodation, catering and a commercial farm of 1,100 hectares. A trading name of Skillinvest Limited.
• VET Delivered to Secondary Students (VDSS) Vocational education programs delivered to secondary school students providing nationally recognised qualifications alongside VCE, VCE VM and VPC studies. Courses available in Agriculture, Automotive, Building & Construction and Equine.
• BuildHER — Women Apprenticeship Program Program empowering women starting careers in commercial construction through paid pre-employment training, mentoring, and quarterly personal development training during their first 12 months as apprentices or trainees. Delivered in partnership with ICON Construction.
• Indigenous Employment Programs Employment pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander jobseekers, including the Indigenous Traineeship Program (ITP) placing individuals in police stations while completing Certificate III in Business Administration, delivered in partnership with Victoria Police.
• Major Projects Workforce Solutions Workforce solutions for organisations and projects of all sizes, including Victoria's Big Build Apprenticeships, Jobs Victoria programs, Lendlease projects, and construction industry workforce needs. Designed for major infrastructure and building projects requiring diverse workforces that meet social impact targets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 2,000 students trained at any given time
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• South East Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2026Skillinvest partners with South East LLEN in delivering training and employment outcomes in the South East Melbourne region. LLEN CEO Andrew Simmons participated as guest speaker at the Dandenong South Skills Centre opening, highlighting the strong and longstanding partnership and significant opportunities created for local students.
• Apprenticeship Employment Network (AEN)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2026Skillinvest collaborates with AEN, whose Executive Director Gary Workman hosted a panel discussion at the Dandenong South Skills Centre opening showcasing real industry and learner perspectives on apprenticeships and employment.
• ICON ConstructionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillinvest has partnered with ICON Construction to deliver the BuildHER program — a women-focused apprenticeship program in commercial construction. Skillinvest provides paid pre-employment training, mentoring, and quarterly personal development training for women apprentices employed through ICON.
• Goolum Goolum Aboriginal CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoolum Goolum Aboriginal Cooperative works with Skillinvest to provide employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander jobseekers across Victoria. The partnership involves recruiting and transitioning suitable Indigenous candidates into employment and providing ongoing support, with Skillinvest participating in the RAP committee.
• LendleasemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillinvest partnered with Lendlease on the Frankston Hospital redevelopment project, assisting in sourcing and supporting trainees and apprentices from First Nations and/or disadvantaged backgrounds. As a registered social enterprise, Skillinvest helps Lendlease meet its social impact requirements.
• Jobs VictoriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillinvest partners with Jobs Victoria to deliver employment programs including the Jobs Victoria Mentor Service (providing personalised support to jobseekers facing barriers) and the Statewide Racing Project addressing labour shortages in the thoroughbred racing industry.
• Racing VictoriamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillinvest partners with Racing Victoria on the Statewide Racing Project, a Victoria Government (Jobs Victoria) initiative addressing labour shortages in the thoroughbred racing industry across Victoria, providing tailored support to priority group jobseekers.
• Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria (NGIV)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillinvest partners with NGIV and Jobs Victoria to deliver the Grow Your Future program, supporting jobseekers to explore careers in horticulture through foundational training, workplace mentoring, and employer connections.
• Victorian GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillinvest works with the Victorian Government on multiple programs including Victoria's Big Build Apprenticeships, Jobs Victoria JVEN and JVES programs, Department of Transport and Planning initiatives, and the Statewide Racing Project.
• Victoria PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillinvest delivers the Indigenous Traineeship Program (ITP) in partnership with Victoria Police, placing Indigenous individuals as trainees in police stations while completing Certificate III in Business Administration, contributing to Victoria Police's Reconciliation Action Plan deliverables.
• Longerenong CollegecoreOthersLongerenong College is a trading name of Skillinvest Limited and one of Victoria's leading agricultural education and training providers. Established in 1889, the college is part of Skillinvest's private RTO (since 2006) and provides extensive training facilities, accommodation, catering, and a 1,100-hectare commercial farm at one location.
• Social TraderscoreOthersSkillinvest is a member of Social Traders, a registered values-led charity network that connects social enterprises with procurement and partnership opportunities.
• Downer EDIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDowner EDI is listed as a client and partner in Skillinvest's industry connections, indicating a workforce solutions relationship.
• Horsham Rural City CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHorsham Rural City Council has engaged Skillinvest collaboratively for over 30 years to provide employment services including quality apprentices, trainees, and labour hire workers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TAFE Victoria: Public-sector vocational education provider delivering accredited training across Victoria with full government backing; competes with Skillinvest's RTO arm on the same VET courses, but as a broader and better-funded incumbent rather than a niche community-based provider.

Emerging players

• BUSY at Work / BUSY Ability: Australian employment services organisation delivering apprenticeship, traineeship, labour hire and disability employment services; overlaps with Skillinvest's apprenticeship, labour hire and community employment streams, particularly in Queensland/National footprint context.
• Maxima Group: Not-for-profit employment services provider with strong focus on Indigenous and disadvantaged job seekers; overlaps with Skillinvest's Indigenous Traineeship Program and community employment offerings under a similar social-impact, government-funded model.

Direct peers

• Australian Training Company (ATC): Australian-owned group training organisation providing apprentice and trainee employment placements, recruitment and RTO services nationally; same target customers (employers and job seekers), same group-training employment structure, and overlapping trades and industries as Skillinvest.
• Sarina Russo Group: Australian employment, apprenticeship, and training services provider operating across multiple states; competes head-to-head with Skillinvest in apprenticeships/traineeships and recruitment, with a comparable employer-candidate two-sided go-to-market.
• MEGT (Mines & Energy Group Training): Australia's largest Group Training Organisation operating across multiple states; directly comparable to Skillinvest as it places apprentices/trainees with host employers, delivers RTO training, and provides labour hire under the same group training operating model, just at materially larger scale and broader geographic reach.

Others

• Apprenticeship Employment Network (AEN): Industry association representing Victoria's group training organisations including Skillinvest; relevant as a strategic/network peer and convener of the group training sector in which Skillinvest operates.

Regional players

• Hospitality Group Training (HGT): Sector-specialist group training organisation for hospitality and cookery apprenticeships nationally; offers the same group-training-employment-then-host-placement model as Skillinvest but concentrated in a single industry vertical.
• PEER Support Australia / PEER Vocational Education: Australian not-for-profit vocational education and group training provider supporting youth and disadvantaged learners; overlaps with Skillinvest on community-based training delivery, group apprenticeship employment, and government-funded program delivery.
• WPC Group: Australian group training organisation specialising in automotive and specialist trades apprenticeships with national delivery; directly comparable as a group training employer and apprenticeship host, but narrower in industry focus than Skillinvest's multi-trade portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/skillinvestvic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skillinvest-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/skillinvestlimited

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Skillinvest