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“BALANCING TERTIARY EDUCATION”

TAFE – Australia’s Great Public Asset

TDA – Its Role

4 Issues: Capability Autonomy Upper Secondary Skilling Higher Level Skills

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The Issue - CapabilityAlways difficult – claim and counter claimSimple equity based proposition

What We Want:TAFE Endowment Fund same as UniversitiesUsed for depreciation on buildings and

equipment – ad hoc grantsEmphasis on IT infrastructure and related

services – renewal onshore and widening reach offshore

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The Issue - FundingWhy Do We Want It?

Equitable – TAFE as important as Universities

Improved infrastructure (esp. IT) will lead to expanded access to VET

Improve access will lead to a better skilled Australia and sustained economic growth and social cohesion.

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The Issue - Higher Level Qualifications and Skilling

What We Want:

TAFE Institutions offering degrees

HECs places extended to TAFE undergraduate degrees

Amendment of HE protocols to create permanent University Colleges.

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The Issue - Higher Level Qualifications & SkillingWhy We Want It?

TAFE student population the most diverse of all

TAFE students accessing higher education -- through TAFE can alter socio – economic structure of Australian Higher Education Australia needs applied degrees

Higher education serves clients, lifts status and mix of programs in TAFE

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The Issue – Skill Development Upper Secondary Level

What We Want:

Increased school retention rates

Student wanting to undertake skills training

Vocational Centres in TAFE Institutions

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Characteristics of Vocational Centres

Bright vibrant locationSeparate but use TAFE facilitiesWell fundedGeneral and vocational educationLiteracy and numeracy – fundamental skillPastoral care and counselling Social partnershipsApplied learningBuilds esteem

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The Issue - Skill Development Upper Secondary LevelWhy We Want It?Australia needs skilled community, and skilled

workforce

Young people who choose vocational education over academic education deserve the same opportunities

Could improve apprenticeship retention rates

Effective use of the TAFE infrastructure fund

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The Issue - AutonomyWhat We Want:A streamlining of management

arrangements for TAFE Institutes

The creation of semi autonomous TAFE Institutes characterised by: Board Governance All staff including Director employed by

the Institute Board Self determination and accountability

within a policy context of government owned Institutions

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The Issue – Autonomy

Why We Want It?

More responsive and agile Institutions

Effective use of infrastructure funds would need Institutes to manage their own assets

More accountability

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The TDA Position --Balancing Tertiary Education

What We Want:Steps to create a fairer and more balanced

tertiary education Better responds to needs of students, school,

industry and communityLift government success dealing with

workplace participationAdoption of these strategies can assist in

tying into the future skills needs of AustraliaAdvocacy to create dynamic contemporary

VET system with TAFE Institutes as its centrepiece