TAFE is an iconic institution that has educated and trained so many of us and continues to support the learning of many others despite repeated cuts from the Federal Liberal Government.
The Coalition has cut $3B from skills, TAFE and apprenticeships funding since they came to office, and in the last budget they cut another $270M.
Since they came to office, apprenticeships and traineeships have fallen by a third, and are now down more than 140,000 Australia-wide.
What that means on the Coast is that we have 1800 fewer apprentices and trainees than we did five years ago.
TAFE cuts have led to rationalisations and restructures that have seen courses cut, teachers out of work, and locals forced to travel to Sydney or the Hunter Valley to enrol in courses they could once do on the Coast.
In our community, with youth unemployment at a stubbornly high 18.6 per cent, it is vital that we restore the ability of TAFE to deliver the courses we need.
It is vital we restore the TAFE courses our young people want, and our mature workers need, so they can be delivered in areas where our community can get to them.
With the added constraints of poor public transport on the Coast, it is vital that TAFE courses are easily accessible for everyone.
Senator Cameron has been travelling around Australian, talking to communities about Labor’s commitment to TAFE.
When he joined me at Wyong TAFE last Thursday, Senator Cameron confirmed Labor’s commitment to waive the upfront fees for 100,000 TAFE students Australia-wide and invest $110M to revitalise campuses and facilities in regional and outer metropolitan areas.
I was pleased to have the chance to tell Senator Cameron about the value of TAFE on the Coast, and I will continue to lobby for our region to win some of that funding if Labor is elected.
Senator Cameron also confirmed Labor’s commitment to guarantee two-thirds of government vocational education and training funding goes to TAFE; ensure one in every 10 jobs on Commonwealth priority projects are filled by Australians apprentices; provide 10,000 pre-apprentice programs for young people who want to learn a trade; and provide 20,000 adult apprentice programs for older workers who need to retrain.
The Liberals have undermined and neglected TAFE and the apprenticeship system, and Labor is committed to turning this around.
The Liberals have reduced employment opportunities for middle and working-class people, including women, young people and workers retraining later in life.
They have limited our capacity to meet demand in growing occupations in the disability, aged care, and technology focused sectors.
And they have limited the capacity of businesses to find the skilled workers they need.
TAFE has always been a trusted pathway to a secure career. Labor is committed to restoring trust in TAFE and its capacity to deliver the education and training our community needs.
It is vital we restore the TAFE courses our young people want, and our mature workers need, so they can be delivered in areas where our community can get to them.
With the added constraints of poor public transport on the Coast, it is vital that TAFE courses are easily accessible for everyone.
Senator Cameron has been travelling around Australian, talking to communities about Labor’s commitment to TAFE.
When he joined me at Wyong TAFE last Thursday, Senator Cameron confirmed Labor’s commitment to waive the upfront fees for 100,000 TAFE students Australia-wide and invest $110M to revitalise campuses and facilities in regional and outer metropolitan areas.
I was pleased to have the chance to tell Senator Cameron about the value of TAFE on the Coast, and I will continue to lobby for our region to win some of that funding if Labor is elected.
Senator Cameron also confirmed Labor’s commitment to guarantee two-thirds of government vocational education and training funding goes to TAFE; ensure one in every 10 jobs on Commonwealth priority projects are filled by Australians apprentices; provide 10,000 pre-apprentice programs for young people who want to learn a trade; and provide 20,000 adult apprentice programs for older workers who need to retrain.
The Liberals have undermined and neglected TAFE and the apprenticeship system, and Labor is committed to turning this around.
The Liberals have reduced employment opportunities for middle and working-class people, including women, young people and workers retraining later in life.
They have limited our capacity to meet demand in growing occupations in the disability, aged care, and technology focused sectors.
And they have limited the capacity of businesses to find the skilled workers they need.
TAFE has always been a trusted pathway to a secure career. Labor is committed to restoring trust in TAFE and its capacity to deliver the education and training our community needs.
Emma McBride is Federal Member for Dobell.
