TAFE funding
Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:21): (448) My question is to the Minister for Skills and TAFE. Minister, you have previously advised the house that there are 156,000 Victorians enrolled in free TAFE, and my question is: how many of those had completed their courses at the end of 2023?
Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:21): I thank the member for his question. In terms of the specific question that you ask, I do not have that data on me at the moment, but I am more than happy to provide that to you. But can I say that free TAFE has changed so many lives, and it was only this week that I was at the Fairfield campus of Melbourne Polytechnic, where I met a number of students. They were primarily in veterinary nursing but also in horticulture. I met a particular guy, and I thought of you, Mr McCracken, at the time, because he had actually completed his certificate II when he was at secondary school and then as a result of that – as I said on a previous occasion, cert Is and IIs are tasters and they are foundation skills and they often lead to further study, so get to understand how the real world operates and how the AQF framework operates before you make further comments – he went on to do a certificate III, and that was so great he is now completing a certificate IV and he is employed in the veterinary industry. He does paid work placements and he is actually employed. He is ready to take off and have a fantastic career, and this is a young person at the age of 21 that has the world at his feet. I can regale time and time again with story after story of how that has happened to so many Victorians in this state. I have got to say this week is the fifth anniversary of free TAFE in Victoria, and we have been able to change so many lives and the direction of so many people so that they cannot just acquire the skills but get fantastic jobs that lead to brilliant careers.
Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:23): Minister, like you, I visited Fed TAFE last week as well and went to their awards ceremony. So I am obviously very interested in TAFE, much like you. My supplementary question is: aside from providing the number figure of the completion rates, I would also like to know what the rate of completion is compared to enrolments for 2022 and 2023. I know that you said you would take that and get back to me, so could you do that with that as well?
The PRESIDENT: I will put the question to the minister, but the reason I am hesitating is that there have been some rulings about questions without notice where it would be unreasonable to expect the minister to know that point of detail. That is why we have questions on notice. But I appreciate the minister’s assistance in this and getting the answer to the substantive question, so I will call her for the supplementary.
Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:24): Yes, I am aware that you were at the award ceremony, Mr McCracken, and so was Michaela Settle, who is a fantastic advocate for free TAFE and Federation University. I am told it was a fantastic evening and that you were both advised that enrolments at Federation Uni in the TAFE area have skyrocketed this year, and that is exactly what the CEO of Melbourne Poly told me on Monday as well – that we have seen an enormous return of people into the free TAFE system. We think it is largely also as a result of the changed eligibility rules that we introduced – eligibility rules that enable people who have qualifications at a higher level or at an equal level to now undertake free TAFE. We have also enabled people who have done a certificate III or II in an area that is a priority to go on and do further free TAFE courses.