Independent review of Trade Training Centres
A member of the Productivity Commission, and former Commonwealth Departmental Secretary, Patricia Scott, has been appointed to undertake an independent review of Gillard government investment in Trade Training Centres (TTCs).
Assistant Minister for Education, Sussan Ley said the review of TTCs would focus on ensuring stronger links between industry and schools and better career-guidance for students.
Ms Ley said industry had raised numerous concerns about inconsistencies in the quality of training, qualifications and equipment offered from one TTC to the next.
She said taxpayers had spent more than $1.4 billion on the program since Labor dismantled the Howard Government’s successful curriculum-focussed Australian Technical Colleges in 2009 in favour of an infrastructure-centric approach.
Ms Ley said the Government was working with the states and territories to update the national Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) framework for the first time since 2001 and the TTC review could complement this work.
To read more or provide feedback to the inquiry, see here.
TAFE cuts put quality at risk
Toronto-based academic and commentator, Professor Leesa Wheelahan has hit out at “crude, blunt and ineffectual” policies that are negatively impacting the TAFE sector.
In a column in The Australian, she said the trend was occurring in every state but most evident in Victoria and South Australian.
“It would be fine if it were a market in hamburgers. But it’s not — it’s a market in the provision of education and training, in people’s futures,” she said.
“It is unimaginable that the government would cut the base funding of universities so that the only funding they got was for programs they offered. It’s unimaginable any government would take their buildings and assets and put them out to tender. It’s unimaginable they would change the funding rates willy-nilly because they think there are too many graduates in particular programs.”
See Leesa Wheelahan’s article.
Navitas announces partnership with WA’s Central Institute of Technology
Educational services company, Navitas, has been selected by Perth-based Central Institute of Technology (CIT) to provide English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS).
The contract is for one year initially. Navitas already provides CIT with employment pathway, workforce training and development and Adult Migrant Education Programs.
Navitas’s Executive General Manager, Careers & Learning Skills, Sally Waite said that currently about half of CIT’s ELICOS students continue their studies either with CIT or with other state training providers in the state, so it was hoped that Navitas’ scale and experience would help to grow the international student market in Perth.
The announcement followed a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange earlier last week, that a long term foundation college contract with Macquarie University had been cut, which severely impacted the ASX share price of Navitas.
For the WA CIT announcement, see more.
Nominations for AUSTAFE national awards now open
The 2014 AUSTAFE National Awards are now open for nominations. There are four categories of awards:
- AUSTAFE Educational Leadership Award
- AUSTAFE Emerging Leader Award – Education and Training
- AUSTAFE Emerging Leader Award – Support Services
- AUSTAFE Honorary Life Membership
The AUSTAFE Qld and NSW chapters conduct State based Emerging Leader Awards. The winners of these State awards become the relevant State nominee for the National Emerging Leader Awards.
All State and Territory Members are eligible to nominate for the National awards. Nominations close on the 8th September 2014
All nominations must be completed on the relevant National forms and can be sourced by visiting the News Page on the AUSTAFE website.
Winners will be announced at the National Conference being held in Sydney between the 8th and 10th October 2014.
Diary Dates
Work Smarter Webinar Series
Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment
DATE: 10 July-14 August 2014
LOCATION: Online
DETAILS: Click here for more information
Victorian TAFE Association
2014 State Conference
DATE: 17-18 July 2014
LOCATION: Holmesglen, Moorabbin Campus, Melbourne, Victoria
DETAILS: Click here.
Vision 2020 – TDA National Conference 2014
TAFE Directors Australia
DATE: 1-2 September 2014
LOCATION: Sheraton on the Park, Sydney, NSW
DETAILS: Click here for more information.
Teaching & Learning Conference 2014
VET Development Centre
DATE: 4-5 September 2014
LOCATION: RACV Club Torquay, Melbourne
DETAILS: Click here for more information.
VETnetwork Australia 2014
Biennial National Conference
DATE: 17-19 September 2014
LOCATION: Darwin Convention Centre
DETAILS: Click here for more information.
2014 WorldSkills Australia National Competition
DATE: 18, 19 & 20 September 2014
LOCATION: Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
DETAILS: Click here for more information.
Australian International Education Conference
Inventing the Future
DATE: 7-10 October 2014
LOCATION: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
DETAILS: Click here for more information.
Australasian Genomic Technologies Association (AGTA)
2014 Conference
DATE: 12-15 October 2014
LOCATION: Crown Promenade Melbourne
DETAILS: Click here for more information.
Group Training Australia
2014 National Conference
DATE: 12-14 November 2014
LOCATION: Grand Chancellor Hotel, Hobart
DETAILS: Click here for more information.
2014 B/HERT Awards
Business Higher Education Round Table
DATE: 20 November 2014
LOCATION: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
DETAILS: Click here for more information.
