TAFE funding cuts

I am not employed in the education industry, but I DO have four children in school and a husband who is an apprentice.  Funding has been ripped from the TAFE (Technical And Further Education) sector in Victoria and, I believe, in New South Wales.  Both states with Liberal governments.  How can they be reducing education funding?

My husband was supposed to start his theory education this term.  He kept getting told to go, then told not to go: finally went for one day and then was told he can’t start until next academic year.  This is demoralising for him.  No, he hasn’t said anything but he doesn’t need to.  Here he is trying to build a new career and gain a qualification, being paid an apprentice wage which is not really enough to live on, and he isn’t getting the schooling he is supposed to be getting.

I am lead to believe, although I haven’t been formally advised, the cuts to TAFE funding are the reason.  This is clearly impacting on Victoria’s ability to produce tradespeople.  Yet we are short of tradespeople.  The company my husband works for employs a certain trade from the United Kingdom.  We hear many industries complaining they can’t find tradespeople to employ.

The CFA is having to look interstate to train firefighters in specialist courses.

The courses were axed due to controversial TAFE budget cuts by Baillieu Government.

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2012/08/20/526241_national-news.html

Terrific – just before the bushfire season.

We had been looking at Mr O Jnr 1 taking some VET classes next year, but the program has been axed at our high school.  VCAL is also hit.

… $50 million cut from the programs which have historically served as ‘hands on’ preparation for young people to enter the workforce from secondary school.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/08/28/3577633.htm

A few Tweets on the topic:

TAFE Tweets

I’ve watched the debate and it certainly seems that the funding of dodgy/shoddy private education providers may have blown the budget.  Fine.  Deal with that aspect, don’t destroy the government institutions.  We need tradespeople and we need to train them.

I see how not starting his TAFE course has demoralised Mr O.  The momentum has been lost.

I came across this open letter to the Premier:

TAFE is more than a teaching environment. It supports our community. Please reconsider the long term economic growth of our communities instead of the short term gain.

http://the-scan.com/2012/09/01/a-letter-to-the-premier/

Something is just not right.  Support education in Australia.  Support the TAFE system.

I’ll admit I haven’t done hours of research for this article.  I’m simply adding my voice to the throng of voices out there illustrating there are impacts on the people.  If you are impacted by the TAFE cuts, please leave a comment, share your experience.

Related:

TAFE 4 All (Personal stories)