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Reading, writing and numbers
The Skills for Education and Employment program, known as SEE, is the Australian Government’s free training for people 15 and over who have left school and want stronger reading, writing, maths, English or computer skills. You can join if you need help with those skills and meet its citizenship or visa rules.
General information, as at October 2026. The program’s own pages, from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, have the final word.
What “foundation skills” means
The department groups English language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy, together with skills for work, under one name: foundation skills. It describes them as the “learning to learn” skills that open the way to further study and work.
The department runs SEE to teach them. A national network of 22 training providers runs it in cities, regional towns and remote areas. It comes in two streams:
- General SEE Delivery, run by the contracted providers, with accredited and non-accredited training, extra support for learners, and options for training at work.
- SEE First Nations, which funds First Nations organisations, among them Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, training organisations, adult community education providers and peak bodies, to design training for whole communities.
Who can join
The department’s page for participants sets out the rules like this.
You need to be one of these
- “an Australian citizen, or
- a permanent visa holder, or
- on a provisional or temporary visa with working rights and eligible for the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), or
- a Pacific Australian Labour Mobility visa holder”
And all of these
- “aged 15 years and over and left school, and
- need help with your reading, writing, maths, English language or digital skills.”
The page adds: “You cannot take part in SEE and AMEP at the same time.” The Adult Migrant English Program is the next stone.
What it is like
The department’s quick facts about SEE, in its own words:
- “SEE is free!
- training is based on your future goals
- you can begin at your own level and learn at your own pace
- you can study full-time or part-time, up to 25 hours a week
- you can learn in a classroom, at home or in your workplace
- you can still care for your family or continue to look for work if you are looking for a job
- you may be able to do work experience
- SEE can help you with everyday tasks like filling in forms and reading to your child.”
Some SEE courses focus on the skills themselves. Others teach a vocational subject with the reading, writing and maths built in.
How to find a place
The department lists these ways in, in this order:
- “get in touch with your local SEE Provider” (the department keeps a list of SEE providers)
- “call your employment services provider: Workforce Australia, Transition to Work, Parent Pathways, Inclusive Employment Australia, Remote Australia Employment Service (RAES)”
- “call the National Customer Service Line on 1800 805 260 or
- contact Centrelink.”
Training at work
Employers, industry associations and unions can team up with a SEE provider to run training shaped for people who already have a job. The department explains this on its SEE in the Workplace page.
The wider plan
The department also works on foundation skills with the states and territories. The National Skills Agreement, a five-year agreement between the Commonwealth, states and territories, began on 1 January 2024. Under it, governments agreed the National Foundation Skills Strategy 2025–2035, and the agreement includes $77 million for foundation skills training through adult and community education, or its equivalent.
If you’d rather talk to someone first
The Reading Writing Hotline is a national phone service for adults who want help with English, reading, writing or numbers. The department funds it and TAFE NSW runs it. The department lists what it can give information on:
- “adult reading, writing and numeracy classes held locally across Australia or via correspondence
- becoming a literacy volunteer
- adult language, literacy and numeracy teaching and learning resources
- Commonwealth-funded programs for language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills
- Commonwealth-funded English as a second language programs for migrants
- literacy and numeracy in the workplace for employers.”