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It was terrific to see the announcement last week of the second TAFE Centre of Excellence, which we profiled last week in the TDA Monday 
Newsletter. WA joins the ACT in leading a TAFE Centre of Excellence. Their respective industry areas are clean energy and electric vehicles.
TDA understands other jurisdictions are progressing their proposals to form one of the initial six TAFE Centres of Excellence with about three not far from final joint ministerial sign offs. Keep reading this newsletter for future announcements.
To support the national responsiveness required of these TAFE Centres of Excellence, the TDA Board has formed a subcommittee. The role of the subcommittee will be to look at how TAFEs can work together to get maximum benefit for all. Every jurisdiction has a representative.
Sometimes the TDA Board member is on the subcommittee and at other times a senior member of the TAFE leadership in that state and territory is the member.
Each TAFE Centre of Excellence will develop an approach to national collaboration. For example, all will be looking at means for sharing resources. To get the ball rolling this subcommittee will do the initial scoping of what that might look like. That way solutions are aired, discussed and start being developed for all TAFE Centres of Excellence.
The subcommittee will meet for the first-time next week. Its scope of work will include considering what are the barriers and opportunities for working together. The discussion will embrace conversations on intellectual property and what underpinning technology might support sharing, and the development of protocols that are agreed by all TDA members to enable collaboration.
This is an exciting time as we develop together solutions for skilling Australia’s priority industries through nationally responsive TAFE Centres of Excellence.
Low wages may not be the main reason why apprentices fail to complete, but they are likely to be a significant factor, according to initial findings of the Strategic Review of the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System.
In a background paper released last week, the review being conducted by Justice Iain Ross and Lisa Paul, said the evidence on how wages impact apprenticeship commencements and completions is mixed.
“The evidence suggests that training wages are not the main reason why apprentices do not complete their training, but they are likely to be a significant factor,” it says.
The paper refers to studies that show that only about 9% of non-completing apprentices cited low training wages as the main reason for dropping out, but that 35% were dissatisfied with their wage.
“It is conceivable that apprentices may have put up with other problems with their employment, had their wages been higher,” the paper says.
“Addressing issues associated with low apprenticeship wages is complicated. While increasing training wages may increase the potential supply of apprentices and aid retention and completion, it also raises employer costs,” it says.
The review panel is considering the effectiveness of the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System, costing about $1.1 billion a year, as the primary financial assistance program for apprentices and employers.
As part of its final report due later this year, the review will also look at the effectiveness of generous Covid-era wage subsidies, currently being examined by Treasury’s Australian Centre for Evaluation.
Today we are releasing two more stories as a part of First Nations Focus 2024 – story collection, to highlight the great work of individuals and teams happening nationwide.
Kristy helping to close the gap through education
Kristy Perkins is a proud Gumbaynggirr woman who works on 
Bundjalung Country as an Aboriginal Education and Engagement Coordinator at TAFE NSW.
She is passionate about Closing The Gap through education and Aboriginal economic development opportunities, something she sees as a benefit to both the communities she works with and the TAFE NSW community.
Building greater cultural awareness and respect at TAFE SA
In his role as TAFE SA‘s Aboriginal Engagement Consultant, Clayton Dodd has spent the past two years strengthening ties with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and stakeholders and applying a “cultural lens” to projects and programs.
The federal government will set an Australia-wide maximum number of Commonwealth supported places across all higher education providers and individual targets for each institution, under proposed changes from 2026.
The proposals are contained in two consultation papers released by Education Minister Jason Clare in response to the Universities Accord recommendations.
The papers set out the implementation of the new Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC), and a new funding arrangement for higher education, to be known as Managed Growth Funding.
The key elements of Managed Growth Funding include:
“Each provider will be provided with an MGT for the next year with estimates for the following two years,” the paper says.
“This will give higher education providers a clear expectation of their contribution to overall system growth and an incentive to grow sustainably and deliver on performance expectations.”
The establishment of ATEC is aimed at managing g the higher education system, including breaking down barriers with VET and having 80% of the workforce with a university degree or TAFE qualification by 2050.
See the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) Implementation Consultation Paper
See the Managed Growth Funding System Implementation Consultation Paper
With the Fee-Free TAFE – success story collection, TDA aims to celebrate the successful implementation of the Fee-Free TAFE program by TDA members and the positive impact on individuals and priority groups benefiting from this initiative. Today we are sharing a success stories from SuniTAFE
How SuniTAFE helped students achieve their goals
Click here to find out how SuniTAFE has been improving career aspects for locals through Fee-Free TAFE.
The Queensland government is expanding a program providing free construction apprenticeships to those aged over 25.
The expanded ‘Homes for Queenslanders’ plan aims to build a million new homes by 2046, and will train an estimated 2,250 extra carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, and electricians.
The over 25s program is available from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2026 and will cover the cost of eligible apprentices training with TAFE or CQUniversity for the duration of their qualification.
Apprenticeships to be covered include Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying, Certificate III in Carpentry, Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing, Certificate III in Plumbing, Certificate III in Gas Fitting, Certificate III in Glass and Glazing, Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician, and Certificate III in Painting and Decorating.
The VET tip-off line has received more than 1800 contacts since it was established last October, with most in relation to international students.
The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) says in its latest monthly update that when a tip-off is received, the organisation’s intelligence team analyses the information, together with other intelligence.
“We make an assessment about the appropriate regulatory response, taking into account a range of factors, including the nature of the concerns and potential or actual harm,” ASQA said.
“We have received over 1800 VET tip-offs which has led to actionable intelligence. More than half of these relate directly to Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) providers.”
ASQA says the VET tip-off line provides a safe and confidential avenue to report alleged illegal and serious non-compliance activity.
The VET tip-off number is 1300 644 844 within Australia and +61 2 5933 2022 from outside Australia, or via the tip-off webform.
33rd National VET Research Conference ‘No Frills’
‘VET partnerships powering a dynamic workforce’
10-12 July 2024
North Metropolitan TAFE, Perth
More information
National Apprentice Employment Network
National Conference ‘Skills for Life’
23-25 July 2024
Hilton Adelaide
More information
Victorian TAFE Association
TAFECreates 2024 State Conference
8-9 August 2024
More information
VET National Teaching & Learning Conference 2024
‘From Competence to Excellence – Strive to Inspire’
15-16 August 2024
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
Register here
National Skills Week 2024
‘It’s a Game Changer’
19-25 August 2024
www.nationalskillsweek.com.au
47th WorldSkills Competition
10-15 September 2024
Lyon, France
More information
WFCP World Congress 2024
22-27 September 2024
St James, Jamaica, West Indies
More Information
AVETRA 2024 Conference
3-4 October 2024
University of Technology, Sydney
Save the date
2024 National VET Conference
31 October – 1 November 2024
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
More information
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