My colleague Luke Sheehy, the CEO of Universities Australia, delivered a National Press Club speech on the last Wednesday in February. This was part of the Universities Australia conference held in Canberra. In his presentation Luke made some great points with very positive comments about the importance of skills and tertiary education.
However, there was one statement that truly made me smile.
Luke said he has been in the higher education sector for two decades. If you add his twenty years with my thirty years that makes us together a half centurion of tertiary education. For the first time in thirty years, and I suggest more likely fifty years, TAFE is being envied by university colleagues. Luke said, “Free fee TAFE and programs to increase apprenticeships are worthy initiatives. … (However) our universities must receive equal attention and equal support.”
Universities Australia is a great supporter of investment into public tertiary education organisations. As Luke said in his speech when he called on the re-establishment of the Education Investment Fund. The Education Investment Fund made available to both universities and TAFEs funding for infrastructure. I agree that it was a great initiative, valued highly by both TAFEs and universities. It is disappointing that the Education Investment Fund is now gone.
However, it is a little incredulous to think that TAFE is currently more in focus than universities. For example, compare the amount of funding that fee free university ready places will receive per student compared to the average Certificate III course delivered through Free TAFE.
The TAFE sector is very pleased that our value is being recognised at long last as key contributors to skills development demanded by industry and for students, especially equity students. We were delighted that Jobs and Skills Australia was established by the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP when he was the Minister for Skills and Training at the start of this term of government. Jobs and Skills Australia began with a focus on labour market needs linked to skills development and vocational education and training. However, to suggest TAFE is getting more attention than our colleagues in higher education is probably a stretch too far.
Universities are fundamental for the future. So is TAFE. Both need equal funding for a future strong Australian economy.
I sign off this CEO piece with thoughts for all staff and students in our entire tertiary education sector who have been impacted by Cyclone Alfred. This is a particularly difficult time as will be the time that lies ahead for the rebuild.
TAFE Queensland campuses have been heavily impacted by ex-tropical cyclone Alfred and many in the south-east of the state have been forced to temporarily close or pause training delivery.
See the status of all TAFE Queensland campuses.
TAFE NSW campuses and delivery sites across northern NSW will remain closed. At this stage, they are expected to reopen on Thursday 13 March.
All learning and teaching in the region is also paused and is expected to recommence on Thursday. This includes all virtual classes delivered from or at campuses that are currently closed.
See the full list of TAFE NSW campuses affected.
TAFE NSW Kingscliff and Murwillumbah campuses, and Southern Cross University are operating as evacuation centres. More information about evacuation centres in the region can be found on the State Emergency Services (SES) website.
TAFE NSW Wollongbar will continue to act as a staging centre for the SES and is expected to remain closed until Wednesday 12 March.
Thanks to all TAFE staff who are supporting their communities – your efforts are very much appreciated by everyone!
Almost two-thirds of employment growth in the past 12 months came from occupations with VET pathways, according to a new report from Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA).
The JSA December 2024 Labour Market Update said that the labour market remained resilient in the December quarter 2024, supported by strong population growth and ongoing demand, particularly in the health and education sectors.
Over the year to November 2024, employment increased in 13 of 19 industries and declined in five.
The biggest contributors to employment growth came from Health Care and Social Assistance, Education and Training, and Accommodation and Food Services.
The largest declines in employment were in Manufacturing, Financial and Insurance Services, and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services.
Net employment growth over the year was attributable to Skill Level 1 to 4 occupations – those typically associated with post-secondary qualifications.
Almost two-thirds of this growth was in Skill Level 2 to 4 occupations, typically associated with a VET pathway.
“The shift towards higher skill levels is a long-term trend as the workforce becomes more educated, employment moves towards service-based industries and employers seek to implement technologies into their business processes to improve productivity,” JSA said.
Join us for an insightful webinar in which we will explore how generative AI and cutting edge tools such as H5P are transforming education content strategies, while emphasising the importance of ethical innovation in content creation. This session will be particularly valuable for TAFE educational developers, learning and teaching managers and leaders.
In this session we will be joined by Tony Maguire, Regional Director, D2L, Sam Crowe Senior Advisor Educator Capability, TAFE Queensland and Vasi Doncheva, Manager Learning Design & Technologies at Chisholm Institute. They will share practical insights, real-world examples, and actionable strategies for leveraging AI to amplify learning experiences, enhance student engagement, and ensure responsible use in educational settings. Whether you are exploring AI-driven solutions or looking to refine your content strategy, this webinar will equip you with the tools and knowledge to lead with confidence and integrity in the evolving landscape of education.
The federal government has announced the ten recipients of grants worth a total of $45 million under the first stream of the Building Women’s Careers (BWC) program.
The successful grant partnerships combine industry, training providers, unions and community organisations to deliver programs to advance gender equity and women’s careers in key industries.
The Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles said the projects are tackling structural and cultural barriers that often stop women from considering careers in male dominated industries.
“Ten projects will receive a combined $45 million under the Building Women’s Careers program, to be invested in partnerships with some of the country’s biggest industry representatives including Australian Industry Group, Australian Workers Union, Multiplex, Bunnings, Viva Energy, Group Training Australia, and TAFEs across Australia,” Mr Giles said.
See the BWC program recipients
Nursing was a career path Kate Reid always wanted to pursue, but the timing was never right.
The introduction of Free TAFE, combined with the flexible, supportive learning environment at GOTAFE helped Kate make the decision to enrol in the Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121).
After a career in the human resources and business management world, Kate knew she wanted to make a difference through Nursing.
Melbourne Polytechnic’s Epping campus has received a $900,000 upgrade under the Commonwealth’s TAFE Technology Fund.
Melbourne Polytechnic has transformed a classroom into a new computer lab, moved its horticulture team to a more suitable facility, expanded its carpentry program and built two other new classrooms.
The upgrade is part of the first tranche of projects funded through the $50 million TAFE Technology Fund.
Language, literacy, numeracy, and digital training is being offered to the thousands of workers in Australia under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.
There are more than 30,000 short-term and long-term workers from nine Pacific islands and Timor-Leste currently employed under the PALM scheme in areas such as agriculture, meat processing and aged care.
PALM workers will now be able to learn new skills while they are in Australia under the redesigned Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program.
The Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles said the SEE program will allow PALM scheme workers to improve their personal and professional skills, free of cost.
“Improving PALM scheme workers’ English language, reading, writing, mathematics and digital skills will also help them overcome obstacles at work and develop their confidence,” Mr Giles said.
2025 VET AI Symposium
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AVETRA Conference 2025
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9th Research Conference of the International Network for Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP)
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University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, England
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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Symposium 2025
Navigating Authentic Assessment and Learning in a Digital World
25-26 June 2025
University of Sydney
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34th National Vocational Education and Training (VET) Research Conference ‘No Frills’
9-11 July 2025 (Abstract submissions due by 7 March 2025)
Gold Coast
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Impact ATEM 2025
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Australian National University, Canberra.
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22-27 September 2026
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23-28 November 2026
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