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Marshall Govt’s VET plan will privatise TAFE by stealth

The Marshall Government’s new VET plan shows it is determined to sell South Australia’s TAFE system to the highest bidder and allow private training providers to line their own pockets at the expense of TAFE students.

The plan will give profit-seeking private training providers access to TAFE SA sites at the same time that TAFE budgets in South Australia are being slashed.

AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe warned other states and territories not to follow suit, saying it would severely impact the ability of Australians to access affordable, high-quality vocational education. She said it would leave hundreds of thousands of trainees and apprentices across Australia at the mercy of profit-seeking private training providers.

“The Marshall Government’s agenda on vocational education is clear. It plans to wash its hands of responsibility for VET by privatising TAFE SA and allowing private training providers to line their pockets at the expense of students,” Ms Haythorpe said.

“It’s clear that big business is aligning with Liberal governments at both a state and federal level in a push to squeeze TAFE out completely and hand responsibility for vocational education to private providers.”

“The private sector’s idea of VET-sector competition is to drive down costs and standards and drive the ‘competition’-that means TAFE-out of business. Then it can jack up prices and force students to pay through the nose,” Ms Haythorpe said.

“TAFE is one of the crown jewels of the Australian education system. It has proudly provided vocational education for generations of Australians in everything from plumbing to nursing, childcare and IT.”

“The Marshall Government’s plan is a poorly-disguised bid by private training providers to line their own pockets at the expense of TAFE by hiding behind words like ‘choice’ and competition’,” Ms Haythorpe said.

Ms Haythorpe said that the Marshall Government’s new plan was the culmination of a years-long campaign to slash budgets and government support for TAFE SA:

  • SA government-funded VET student numbers have reduced from 150,000 in 2013 to just 63,000 in 2017
  • The SA Government’s total recurrent VET funding contribution has been cut by 40% since 2013, with recurrent VET expenditure per person now the second lowest in the country (after NSW)
  • Thirteen TAFE SA campuses have closed and more than 700 jobs have been lost, while moreTAFE campuses were earmarked for closure in the 2018 state budget

Ms Haythorpe said the moves by the Marshall Government to marginalise TAFE SA and favour private training providers were reflected nationally.

“Despite the clear and undisputed benefits that a robustly funded and administered public TAFE and vocational education sector provides our economy and our society, there has been a concerted and continual drive from successive Coalition governments to marginalise vocational education and deprioritise TAFE,” Ms Haythorpe said.

“This anti-TAFE push is gathering speed. In its first Federal Budget the Morrison Government included no additional specified funding for TAFE-amazingly, it failed to mention TAFE at all.”

“History has shown that private providers aren’t interested in quality education. ITECA represents profit-seeking private education providers and is focused on taking government TAFE funding and giving it to private providers,” Ms Haythorpe said.

Ms Haythorpe said that TAFE must remain a strong public provider of vocational education in Australia. She called upon the Morrison Government to:

  • Guarantee a minimum of 70% government funding to the public TAFE system. In addition, no public funding should go to private for-profit providers, consistent with other education sectors.
  • Restore funding and rebuild the TAFE system, to restore confidence in the quality of the courses and qualifications and the institution.
  • Abandon the failed student loans experiment, and cancel the debts of all students caught up in private for-profit provider scams.
  • Re-invest in the TAFE teaching workforce and develop a future-focused TAFE workforce development strategy in collaboration with the profession and unions.
  • Develop a capital investment strategy in consultation with state governments, to address the deplorable state of TAFE facilities around the country.
  • Support a comprehensive independent inquiry into TAFE.

“Any proposal which undermines the importance of the Commonwealth and state and territory governments working together to build a strong, vibrant, fully funded public TAFE will be fiercely opposed by the AEU,” Ms Haythorpe said.

/Public Release. View in full here.
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ITECA – TAFE SA Partnership Heralds New Training Era In South Australia

The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA) represents independent providers in the higher
education, vocational education and training sectors. It has entered into a new agreement with TAFE SA that
is designed to foster collaboration bet ween independent and pubic providers of vocational education and
training (VET) and TAFE SA to support students get the skills they need to support a growing economy.

The agreement will see ITECA and TAFE SA working together through joint policy priorities, professional
development initiatives, closer liaison regarding the scope of delivery offered by providers and access for
independent providers to publicly owned resources.

“This is an important agreement that signals the intent of the ITECA membership and TAFE SA to provide
the workforce with the skills that the South Australian workforce will need into the future,” said Troy
Williams, ITECA Chief Executive.

Beyond looking at what type of training is most needed, the agreement also paves the way for independent
providers to use TAFE SA’s facilities to support the provision of courses.

“This innovative agreement will enable all education and training providers, both public and independent.

to complement each other ensuring maximum benefit from the expertise and resources available in the
VET sector. As a result, South Australia will obtain greater value from the increased use of taxpayer -funded
facilities with benefits going to those in training.” Mr Williams said.

The South Australia n Education Minister, John Gardne r MP, said that this agreement is an important step
that ensures government and industry are working together to deliver the workforce South Australia needs
in the future.

“South Australian students and employers are the biggest winners from this announcement, which will see
both organisations strive to better coordinate course offerings and ensure the needs of industry across the
state are being met,” Minister Gardner said.

The ITECA State Of The Sector Report shows that in 2019 there were of the VET students resident in South
Australia, 134,700 were with an independent Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and 52,1200 with
TAFE SA.

“Th ese student numbers highlight the importance of th e relationship between the ITECA membership and
TAFE SA in suppo rting the training and reskilling of South Australia. It’s an agreement that serves as a
model for what can be achieved nationally when independent providers and the public TAFE system look at
the student needs and develop collaborative approaches that pu ts them first,” Mr Williams said.

/Public Release. View in full here.
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ASQA To Give More Provider Support

Summary —

The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA) has received advice that the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to provide more information and guidance to Registered Training Organisations as to how it conducts its regulatory activities in order to improve ongoing understanding of and compliance.

Key Issues —

The Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System commissioned by the Australian Government reviewed the work of ASQA and made several recommendations concerning the regulator’s activities. ITECA has received advice from the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Sen. Hon Michaelia Cash, that a key recommendation concerning ASQA’s engagement with industry has been accepted.

The decision means that ASQA will be required to provide greater information and guidance to RTOs as to how it conducts its regulatory activities in order to improve ongoing understanding of and compliance with the regulatory requirements. The intended outcome is to reduce the cost and compliance burden to RTOs, something welcomed by ITECA.

During consultations undertaken to support the review, ITECA and key stakeholders were supportive, in-principle of ASQA as the national regulator for the VET sector. Across the sector there was a view that a single consistent national regulator is important for improving the reputation of, and confidence in, the vocational education sector. This was driven by an understanding that students and employers should be able to expect all RTOs meet the same standards across Australia.

The Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System noted with concern the quite surprising high levels of disquiet in the provider community about the way ASQA currently conducts its regulatory activity. Although there was an expectation that there is always some tension to be expected between the regulator and the regulated, the review concluded that the issues expressed in this case go beyond that sort of healthy tension.

ITECA supports the observation in the review that many providers worry whether ASQA will treat them fairly and reasonably during the audit process. Similarly, ITECA shares the conclusion in the review that providers have little understanding of the approach ASQA will take when it comes time for their next audit.

The Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System received advice that there was limited proactive engagement and guidance by ASQA and this left RTOs confused and worried about meeting requirements. Although ASQA’s regulatory standards are publicly available and the regulatory engages with the sector through regular newsletters, there is a feeling that the standards are difficult to understand and difficult to act on. Of some interest is that the Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System found the lack of information unsurprising. ASQA made it clear to the Review that it does not see its role as providing additional guidance and education to RTOs on its auditing process and compliance. It sees itself as purely a regulator and doesn’t believe it is funded to perform guidance and education functions.

The Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System determined that it is crucially important that guidance is provided by regulators to the regulated. The report commented that a measure of a good regulator is not so much who it catches out as ensuring that the whole regulated community is operating confidently and effectively within the regulations set by the governing jurisdiction.

Recommendation 3.2 of the Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System was that ASQA “to provide more information and guidance to Registered Training Organisations as to how it conducts its regulatory activities in order to improve ongoing understanding of and compliance with the Australian Skills Quality Authority requirements, and to reduce the cost and compliance burden to Registered Training Organisations”. This recommendation has been accepted by the Australian Government, a decision backed without qualification by ITECA.

ITECA is actively working with Minister Cash and the leadership of the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business on the implementation of the review to ensure that the experience and views of the ITECA membership are taken into account as the recommendations are implemented.

Member Engagement:

ITECA’s ability to play a lead role in matters associated with this issue rests on the advice and guidance of individuals serving on the ITECA Vocational Education Reference Committee.

Further Information:

For more information on this issue please send an email to vocational.education@iteca.edu.au or telephone 1300 421 017. Stay up to date via Twitter @ITECAust or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/ITECAust.

SourceAAP:https://www.iteca.edu.au/ITECA/Content/News/News_Archive/20190626_ASQA_To_Give_More_Provider_Support.aspx

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Time for a radical overall of nation’s skills funding system

The peak body representing independent higher education, vocational education and training providers is calling for radical reform of how the workforce is educated, trained and reskilled. The advocacy by the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA) is backed by new research that highlights the benefits of placing student choice at the centre of the funding model.

“In the years ahead Australia will face constraints as a result of not having a workforce with the skills required to meet the demands of a changing economy. The training system needs to support a culture of life‐long learning where constant reskilling is the norm. The challenge for governments Troy Williams, ITECA Chief Executive.

The 2019 ITECA State Of The Sector Report released this week provides the evidence required to overhaul the funding arrangements that underpin Australia’s vocational education and training system. The report highlights that, by virtually any measure, independent achieve outcomes equal to or better than public providers.

“We need one tertiary education funding model that supports students throughout their working lives and allows them to transit between the higher education and vocational education and training sectors. This will support a culture of life‐long learning,” Mr Williams said.

ITECA believes that present policy settings are unlikely to provide Australia with the skills needed to support an economy in which rapidly changing technology is the norm. The demands are such that vestment in workforce reskilling without the support of the independent tertiary education system that includes independent higher ing model that preferences the ECA.

“Policy settings must promote the complementarity of the public TAFE system and the independent vocational education and training system. Students should be able to select the quality provider of their choice – whether public or independent – and government funding models should be based on this approach,” Mr Williams said.

The 2019 ITECA State Of The Sector Report more than 60% of the 4.2 million students in vocational education and training. It notes that for domestic students it costs government $2,400 per student trained by independent providers in the vocational education and training system but $5,500 per student trained by public TAFE institutes.

l, where they can select the provider of their choice, whether they be a quality independent provider or public provider,” Mr Williams said.

/Public Release. View in full here.
SourceAAP:www.miragenews.com
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Aus: ACPET becomes ITECA, refines focus

Australia’s education sector has a new representative body after the organisation formerly known as the Australian Council for Private Education and Training transitioned to the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia.

ITECA will prioritise government funding arrangements for domestic students. Photo: ITECAITECA will prioritise government funding arrangements for domestic students. Photo: ITECA

Australia’s vocational providers attracted over 244,000 international enrolments in 2018

“Government funding needs to be agnostic as to the provider”

The decision, which came into effect in late May after an extraordinary general meeting earlier in the month, sees the organisation expand its remit from solely private to other independent not-for-profit providers throughout both the vocational and higher education sectors.

“These consultations identified a growing recognition on the need for reform,” said ITECA chief executive Troy Williams.

“Australia deserves an integrated tertiary education system in which the higher education, vocational education and training sectors operate as one to deliver students and their employees with the quality outcomes they are looking for.”

As part of the change, Williams said ITECA would refine its focus towards advocacy for changing Australia’s post-secondary funding system, which is currently split between higher education and vocational education.

“We need a funding system that blends private contributions with government funding and permits students to easily transition between the higher education and vocational training sectors,” he said.

“Importantly, government funding needs to be agnostic as to the provider allowing students to choose a quality independent provider, a public university or public TAFE college. It’s all about student choice.”

Australian international education bodies have welcomed the transition to ITECA.

“More than any other time, it is crucial that we have robust, energised peak bodies supporting the international education sector,” said IEAA chief executive Phil Honeywood.

“IEAA thoroughly welcomes both the name change and the new CEO as an opportunity to recast quality private providers advocacy for and on behalf of the dynamic international education industry.”

Australia’s vocational providers attracted over 244,000 international enrolments in 2018, of which 68% chose an independent provider.

SourceAAP:thepienews.com

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National Monday Update Edition 793, 27 May 2019

ITECA To Shape The Future Of Independent Tertiary Education
National Monday Update – 27 May 2019
Troy Williams, ITECA Chief Executive

With the support of members, government and stakeholders across the business community, the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA) has established itself as the peak body representing the independent tertiary education system.

The transition from the former Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) to ITECA was a considered one. It reflects a growing understanding about the benefits that will flow from an integrated tertiary education system where the higher education and vocational education sectors enjoy a symbiotic relationship, retaining their separate identities within one tertiary education system.

ITECA’s membership includes independent higher education, vocational education and training providers that share a commitment to providing students and their employers with the quality outcomes they are looking for. These providers come together as two key divisions within ITECA, these being:

  • ITECA Higher Education Network
  • ITECA Vocational Education & Training Network

To find out more about these member networks, the priorities before ITECA and the opportunity to get involved, be sure to attend one of the functions being held throughout Australia to celebrate the launch of ITECA. These are great networking opportunities affording you the chance to catch-up with colleagues from across the sector. Register online today:

  • Sydney, 17 June 2019 [Register Now]
  • Brisbane, 18 June 2019 [Register Now]
  • Darwin, 19 June 2019 [Register Now]
  • Perth, 24 June 2019 [Register Now]
  • Adelaide, 25 June 2019 [Register Now]
  • Melbourne, 26 June 2019 [Register Now]

The transition to ITECA brings a strong member-centric focus in which the leadership role that we take in shaping the national policy debate is clearly set by our members. Through new ITECA Sector Interest Groups, we’re introducing our members to the issues and people that are influencing the direction of the independent tertiary education system and the courses they offer.

The 2019-21 ITECA Strategic Plan, developed by the ITECA Board after member consultation, sets a clear path in which members are able to play an increasing role in our policy advocacy activities. The advice and guidance that we receive from members is used by our Canberra-based policy team, augmented by staff in the states and territories and is used to provide government with evidence-based policy solutions.

ITECA’s members are united, informed and influential – it’s a great time to be involved.

Troy Williams FIML MIACD

ITECA Chief Executive

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