As we gear up to celebrate National TAFE Day for 2015, it is important to remind ourselves of the year that has passed – and the importance of TAFE to the Australian community.
Mix one part deregulation with one part government funding then sprinkle with a few thousand dollars of student loans and what is the result? A consumer protection disaster.
The struggle for the future of public sector provision of vocational education and training is gearing up for its next big engagement, the NSW election on March 28.
Over the last few months, stories have emerged in the media of rorts in Australia's private for-profit vocational education sector, as these providers attempt to milk government training subsidies.
In response to a suite of changes to the VET sector announced by Minister Macfarlane in early September, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the national VET regulator, is set to invite more than 800 registered VET colleges - the majority of them private for-profit - to apply for the right to change their courses and introduce new ones, without permission from the regulator. More than 1000 colleges may be offered this opportunity, in a sector which has, according to The Australian “displayed no lack of imagination in exploiting money trails.”