TDA networks and their role in supporting a national response – comment by CEO Jenny Dodd

As we draw to the end of the year, I want to publicly thank those members of the national TAFE workforce (including our dual sector universities) who have been active members of TDA networks and communities of practice.

Many members of the TAFE workforce chair these networks / communities of practice – huge thanks for going over and above in leading national policy and practice. Others of the TAFE workforce are active participants – thank you also for your significant contributions.

This week there will be final meetings of several networks including the well-established Quality, Regulatory and Compliance network, the relatively new Foundation Skills network, and the TAFE Australia Product Network. That caps off final meetings by other networks during the last couple of weeks such as the National Enrolled Nursing Network, the Higher Education Provider Network, the Dual Sector Network, the Allied Health Network, and the Australian TAFE International Network.

Then there are communities of practice that are leading innovation thinking and discussing what is good learning and teaching practice. Examples include the Immersive Learning Network and NVEDN (educator developer practitioners) and a new group, TAFE Generative AI group – all doing great work to demonstrate the power of TAFE is stronger when we come together.

The work that TAFEs have established through these networks and communities of practice will support the execution of an aspect of the National Skills Agreement (NSA). Now that the NSA is a public document it is worth teasing out the proposed National TAFE Network.

The NSA states the National TAFE Network will:

• pilot the development and support of the TAFE workforce and education practice, including through communities of practice organised around specific topics
• develop curriculum and course materials and share these among TAFEs and public training providers
• pilot new or innovative approaches in teaching and learning practice, and provide a mechanism for employers, unions, Jobs and Skills Councils, universities, TAFE Centres of Excellence and others to engage with TAFEs and public training providers piloting new or innovative approaches in teaching and learning practice, and
• provide a mechanism for employers, unions, Jobs and Skills Councils, universities, TAFE Centres of Excellence and others to engage with TAFEs and public training providers.

As TAFEs, we are already working together to achieve most of these outcomes. Although there are new dimensions, such as the TAFE Centres of Excellence, the power of TAFE has been evident for many years in our national networks and communities of practice. Thank you all – the TDA secretariat has enjoyed supporting and facilitating the outcomes of your collective hard work.