More than 16,000 students right across the state - particularly those in lower socio-economic areas - have been gaining in-demand skills and qualifications through fee-free TAFE courses over the past two years.

Latest data reveals the initiative has attracted 16,410 enrolments over that time, with the highest number in metropolitan Adelaide in suburbs with a 5114 postcode. Just over 370 enrolments were in this area, which includes the suburbs of Smithfield, Blakeview, Andrews Farm and Craigmore.

This was followed by the postcode 5108 which takes in the suburbs Salisbury and Paralowie, which has had 356 Fee-Free TAFE enrolments, adding to a total 2905 enrolments from Adelaide's northern suburbs.

In regional South Australia, there have been more than 500 enrolments in each of the Yorke and Mid North, Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula, Murraylands and Riverland, and Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and KI regions.

The Limestone Coast had just under 500 enrolments with Murray Bridge the highest number of enrolments from regional locations.

Courses offered through Fee-Free TAFE directly align with the need for skilled workers, including health, technology, construction, major defence projects such as AUKUS, three-year-old preschool, and the Whyalla hydrogen power plant facility.

Since its introduction, the initiative has saved students more than $37 million in fees.

Fee-Free TAFE is breaking down barriers to education and training and making courses more accessible for:

• Low-income students – More than 3920 low-income learners have saved over $9.08 million in student fees,
• Female students – 55 per cent of students participating in Fee-Free TAFE are women,
• Regional / rural communities – 3520 regional students gain access to VET through Fee-Free TAFE.
• First Nations students – 193 First Nations students have enrolled in a Fee-Free TAFE course.

TAFE SA Chief Executive David Coltman was pleased to see so many students gaining qualifications in key industry sectors who might otherwise not have been able to.

"This latest data indicates that Fee-Free TAFE is strongly supporting areas of lower socio-economic status and higher unemployment, providing life-changing skills and training opportunities for these priority cohorts," Mr Coltman said.

"In some parts of the country, there has been a tendency for TAFE enrolments to go down when the economy is strong and unemployment rates are low, but in South Australia we have a strong economy and we are still seeing demand for our training, which highlights the positive impact of Fee-Free TAFE in our state."

Popular areas of study include Information Technology, Individual Support (Aged Care), Early Childhood Education and Care, Human and Social Welfare, and Health Administration.

For more information about Fee-Free TAFE courses, visit the TAFE SA website.