Good and bad news for TAFE

Dr Peter Kell at the NSW launch.

By Kerri Carr

The TAFE Futures Inquiry conveyed both good and bad news, the NSW launch of the Inquiry's report heard on November 24.

The NSW launch provided another opportunity to promote the needs of TAFE, following the report's national launch on October 18.

Inquiry head Peter Kell said of the inquiry: "I think it conveyed good news -- that TAFE is supported. But, there is bad news -- TAFE is under-invested."

Dr Kell said the TAFE Futures Inquiry was "not one of your standard inquiries".

"It was different because it had significant support from the community," he said.

"Submissions from students, teachers and the community reflect the passion at which people support and address TAFE."

Dr Kell spoke of the skills shortage.

"We've under-invested [in training] at a time when we've needed to invest strongly."

Dr Kell said TAFE played an important role in changing people's lives.

"It's a life changing capacity that teachers give to students."

He said TAFE teaching needed to be treated as a professional occupation. "This is a professional occupation, not just process work."

Dr Kell spoke of the financial difficulties TAFE students faced -- not only from course fees but living and travel expenses.

"Wherever we went, apprentices told us of the difficulties of completing an apprenticeship.

He said poor working conditions were a disincentive to completing an apprenticeship. The resources boom meant the economy operates so apprentices don't finish their apprenticeship -- they get jobs with better working conditions.

Dr Kell also spoke of TAFE teaching having been reduced to a casual occupation.

His report recommends a renewed resource and funding strategy, shifting the balance to better supporting TAFE students and the TAFE teacher workforce.

Federation President Maree O'Halloran said teachers were "sick and tired of piecemeal solutions from federal and state governments" regarding TAFE.

"In the lead up to the state election, we are asking the Government to make some policy and funding commitments to TAFE to show leadership," she said.

"TAFE plays such an important role, socially and economically," she added.

Australian Education Union TAFE President and Federation TAFE TA Secretary Linda Simon said she hoped that whoever was elected would have a commitment to TAFE.

The Inquiry findings were reported in the October 30 edition. The full report from the TAFE Futures Inquiry is available from www.tafefutures.org.au.

www.tafefutures.org.au

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Last Modified: 07 Dec 2006