'TAFE Security Cuts Detrimental To Staff and Student Safety': Public Services Union

BY JARROD MELMETH

Concerns are being raised about the potential cut to security services at TAFE campuses, including those in the Hunter.

In March, TAFE NSW proposed a restructure which will see 678 jobs lost. 

Staff and the Unions rallied on Tuesday against the proposed changes which they say will place students and staff in danger.

It's feared the NSW Government employed officers will be replaced by a private company which will see a decrease in services across campuses.

Assistant Branch Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union Troy Wright says it part of yet another restructure.

"Security officers right now do more than just lock doors. They escort students and teachers from areas at night. They make sure the campus is secure and free from vandalism and other damage.

"To just have a drop in, drop out security service is woefully inadequate and it's going to impact students and staff," Mr Wright said.

TAFE NSW Newcastle Campus.
Photo: Purser.

Construction Work Starts On New Tafe Facility At Salamander Bay

 BY IAN CROUCH

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Catherine Cusack will join Port Stephens Mayor, Ryan Palmer to turn the first sod to mark the start of construction of the multi-million dollar dollar Tomaree Connected Learning Centre at Salamander Bay today.

The $7 million dollar TAFE Centre allows students to learn with a teacher and other students in a virtual online classroom.

It will allow local students to connect online to TAFE courses not offered in the Hunter region to other colleges across the state where those courses are offered.

The Tomaree CLC was promised by the government at the last election. 

Brian Burston Says he's Ready to Defend himself

BY TYLER FARDELL

During his maiden parliament speech in 2016, One Nation senator Brian Burston said he had worked as a lecturer at the University of Newcastle during the 1980's.

But now he's out to prove his claims are true after an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald alleged Mr Burston may have been lying about his former credentials with the University of Newcastle having no records of the senator ever being employed.

It's expected Mr Burston will address the issue this week when parliament resumes and says he's angry this 'non-issue' is even getting brought up.

"The media and major parties have been trying to find something on me... but I can back what I said",  Mr Burston responded.

"I was certainly there. I was there for four years".

Mr Burston also responded by stating "I never said I was employed by the University. I said I lectured at Newcastle University".

Mr Burston further explained the situation on Sunday and said he was employed by TAFE during the 1980's and was contracted to lecture trainee TAFE teachers on the University campus.

It's likely the matter will be resolved within the week.

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.

Growing concerns for Hunter TAFE

BY JARROD MELMETH

Following the recent collapse of Careers Australia, after the company was placed into voluntary administration last month, the TAFE Community Alliance is calling on the Federal Government to redirect public funds to restore the Hunter TAFE system as a trusted vocational education training provider.

Careers Australia first made waves in the Hunter when its Steel River, Newcastle campus suddenly closed its doors in July 2016, leaving 300 students in need of a new VET provider.

Last month the company was placed into voluntary administration six weeks after it was stripped of federal funding due to poor completion rates and aggressive recruitment regime. 

Spokesperson for the TAFE Community Alliance Linda Simon said public education needs to remain a priority.

"What we have seen for a number of years now is that governments have decided to make funding competitive in the VET area and consequently we have had a lot of private companies that have set up delivering VET who is about profit rather than delivering a quality education for students.

"Consequently, a lot of those companies have acted unethically. They have gone out aggressively marketing the students, who may or may not want to undertake these courses or understand what it is all about, and some have ended up in a lot of debt.

"A number of these companies have been caught out and they have collapsed leaving students stranded," Ms Simon said.

The renewed calls for redirecting funds back into TAFE coincide with concerns over a federal government decision to outsource the Australian Migrant English Program contract to American-owned private provider Max Solutions.

Hunter TAFE currently serves 200 students studying the AMEP course, with many of those students being migrants and refugees who have fled war-torn countries.

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon said a private provider will not be able to provide the services a public TAFE can.

"Things such as quality teachers who are trained linguists, but also trained in trauma informed teaching practices, because we should not forget that a number of these people have come from war-torn countries, have undergone all sorts of devastating trauma in their lives, which is almost unimaginable for most Australians and need that informed practice of teaching.

"Teachers who can identify, manage and support people who have been through extreme levels of trauma," Ms Claydon said.

Ms Claydon also said during a Senate estimates hearing last week, Max Solutions had been found "non-compliant" following an audit.

"I have raised directly with Max Solutions some of the concerns people have raised.

"We want adequate responses to the questions being asked.

"Max Solutions is a large American-owned company with outlets all around the world.

"It is a profit making business with very clear contrasts to Hunter TAFE and there are questions for me also around whether a profit making business will have to prioritise profits for its shareholders above and beyond the delivery of excellent and quality courses for its students.

"I have concerns around whether the provider will be able to continue the small outreach programs into rural parts of the rural parts of the Hunter Valley that were undertaken by Hunter TAFE.

"I am concerned that not all of the capacity that TAFE had into that region will be met and those much smaller class sizes will be found to not be profitable enough by the provider to continue.

"Where does that leave those students?

"There are a lot of unanswered questions because the government has handled the transition process appallingly.

"If there are any questions around the compliance issues, they must be addressed and it is definitely in the providers' interest to have that addressed on the public record," Ms Claydon said.

TAFE is Key to a Strong Economy

BY MARISSA ALEXIOU

TAFE's are facing a challenge in meeting the needs of the Hunter community with the government's defunding of NSW's TAFE System.

State Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery is calling for the government to invest in TAFE in order to keep the Hunter's economy strong.

The O'Farrell-Baird-Berejiklian Government has overseen the defunding of the NSW TAFE system and poorly managed Smart and Skilled Program.

With the rise of youth unemployment, TAFE is being seen as a way to encourage workers to seek further education and upskill our workforce.

Sonia Horney said if the government wants to build a stronger economy, they need to provide courses at TAFE that provide apprenticeships and jobs for people in NSW.

The recent cuts to TAFE have been significant and have seen a reduction in courses, apprenticeships and jobs across NSW including the Hunter.

This has further resulted in a lack of skills needed for areas such as manufacturing and aged care.

Sonia Horney said that a strong education system is necessary for a strong economy and quality workforce.

Source:www.studyinaus.com

Fears for TAFE administration jobs

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Labelled by critics as an attempt to dismantle the system, the Baird government's TAFE cut announcement has left more than just teaching staff in limbo in the Hunter.

In a plan to save on administration costs, the restructure will see ten independent institutes abolished and replaced with a central entity.

The Public Service Association (PSA), which represents the workers, says the vital assistance students need will be lost as thousands of support staff jobs are cut.

PSA Assistant General Secretary Steve Turner says regional areas like the Hunter will be most effected with these TAFE colleges helping develop young people and re-train those wanting to re-enter the workforce.

"Administrative staff are very important for the running of TAFE, they give students support, they give teachers support, classrooms support. They say they want to improve something and yet they're cutting the very staff that do those improvements."

Under the Baird Government's Smart and Skilled program there are already 86, 000 less students in Government funded vocational providers than in 2014, and additional reforms in 2015 raised fees by up to 81% which also drove students away.

"This is part of an announcement by a minister to try and grapple with the failure of the system that they've rolled out. They've rolled out Smart and Skilled to try and improve TAFE but all its done is put TAFE into contestability with private providers who run a leaner machine who run for profit. You can't put tertiary education into a profit model."

National TAFE Day 2016

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Today the TAFE Community Alliance is celebrating National TAFE Day, acknowledging the work of the teachers and educators who have made TAFE institutions what they are today.

The TAFE Community Alliance is calling upon the NSW government to re-support funding into TAFE institutions nationwide, to provide better education opportunities for students.

Linda Simon, spokesperson for the alliance, says that TAFE is the most important part of the vocational education and training system in Australia.

"When you see news come out from the governments or from the opposition party, too often they talk about the importance of schools, they talk about the importance of universities, but they don't recognise the importance of vocational education and training".

Simon says that both Labor and the Greens have election policies which call for a restoration of funding to TAFE and also recognise the importance of TAFE in the community. Simon also states that both parties call for various changes that will ensure Australian tax-payers do not continue to be ripped off millions by unscrupulous education providers.

"The Alliance acknowledges their attempts to 'right this wrong' before it is too late".