Belmont TAFE sale 'likely'

BY MATT JOHNSTON

Shadow Minister for Skills Prue Car says "the hiring of a divestment portfolio manager is just the latest step in the government's agenda to sell or close TAFE campuses across the state".

 The new divestment portfolio, whose manager is on a $180,000 salary, has Belmont and Meadowbank TAFE campuses listed as likely candidates for sale according to leaked government documents. Minister Car says "the communities around those colleges have every right to be concerned about the future of those campuses".

Across New South Wales TAFE enrollments are down 175,000 since 2012, and 5,600 teaching positions have been slashed, according to Ms Car. "What we need to be doing is to be encouraging young people to get back into TAFE colleges, to be learning the skills they need to get good jobs".

"The Hunter is a community that greatly needs TAFE and greatly needs the skills that it teaches our young people... It'll be devastating for regions like the Hunter if we don't stop this trend [of sell-offs and lowered enrollments]."

In other towns like Quirindi and Dapto, where TAFE campuses have already been divested, replacement services are little more than shopfronts with an internet connection. "You cannot learn to be a baker or a carpenter or an electrician via a shopfront with computers. You need a TAFE college with a teacher and real-world experience."

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Plan to boost apprenticeship numbers in the Hunter

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Shadow Minister for Skills Prue Car was joined by Shadow Treasurer Ryan Park today to announce the Labor Party's policy for apprenticeships in the Hunter.

The policy will see every construction project, such as Newcastle's light rail project, require 15 per cent of workers to be local apprentices.

Minister Car believes apprenticeships are in "free fall" under this government and that this new policy will see apprenticeship numbers jump right back.

"Employers are looking for apprentices and our young people are needing ways to get their feet onto the skills ladder and this will create opportunities right here in the Hunter for local apprentices, local young apprentices to get that start in the job market,"

"The jobs of tomorrow are definitely changing but one thing we do know is that youth unemployment is a growing problem and the stupidest thing to be doing is to make training less accessible for young people which is what this government is doing. Labor's plan will make TAFE more affordable and accessible and give our predecessors a start through infrastructure projects," said Minister Car.