The 2024–25 NSW Budget contained great news for TAFE members who want a permanent job but have been employed insecurely as either part-time casuals or as temporary teachers.
NSW Labor has allocated $83.1 million over four years to grow the TAFE teacher workforce as it deepens its commitment to rebuild TAFE.
Federation has long fought for such a change and engagement by members in the political, industrial and media campaign around the VET Review Panel’s findings and recommendations has been integral to this successful outcome.
NSW Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Minister Steve Whan made the announcement at Federation’s Council on 15 June, before the 2024–25 Budget was officially presented to parliament on 18 June.
Federation President Henry Rajendra said the investment would provide certainty and security for our TAFE NSW teachers, their students and communities.
“This is a significant and positive step to reversing the loss of 8000 TAFE NSW teachers under the previous government’s deliberate destruction of TAFE NSW and ensuring a brighter future to meet the chronic skills shortage through public education at TAFE NSW,” Mr Rajendra said.
About 48 per cent of TAFE NSW’s teaching workforce does not have permanent employment, which has made it difficult to keep great teachers in the TAFE system.
Mr Whan said he knew from his conversations with TAFE NSW teachers that job security was one of the most pressing issues they face.
“This significant investment will ensure our TAFE NSW teachers have greater peace of mind,” he said.
“The investment will provide greater job security for our dedicated TAFE NSW teachers, who are the backbone of our vocational education system,” he added.
Mr Whan said the investment in job security for TAFE teachers “ensures the longevity of the vocational education and training sector in NSW.”
“This Budget demonstrates the NSW Government’s unwavering commitment to TAFE NSW and allows TAFE NSW to position itself at the heart of the state’s vocational education system.”
The NSW Budget also included much needed capital works funding for TAFE, with $190 million allocated for urgent repairs and upgrades, something Federation has long campaigned for to #RebuildWithTAFE.
The context for expenditure on TAFE NSW in the Budget has been, in part, shaped by the Vocational Education and Training Review. The Minns Government appointed a panel to conduct the review last year and in March it delivered its interim report.
Mr Whan told Council the recommendations in the VET Panel’s interim report underpinned the Government’s priorities for TAFE: “how it will be governed, operated and funded, our teacher workforce and the physical infrastructure of TAFE.”
The recommendations included prioritising permanent teaching roles, changing TAFE governance, removing TAFE from the contestable funding market, clarifying TAFE NSW’s role and purpose, revising operations, assessing current infrastructure and streamlining funding for TAFE through direct appropriation and certainty.
Mr Whan told Council he expects to receive the final report from the VET Review panel by 30 June.