The Andrews Labor Government is rebuilding Victoria’s struggling TAFE system, with Sunraysia Institute of TAFE (SuniTAFE) to share in the first $20 million of emergency funding to save campuses at risk of collapse.
New figures have revealed the extent of damage of the Coalition’s cuts to TAFE, with forecast losses of $71.8 million across the sector for 2014.
In response to this crisis, Minister for Training and Skills, Steve Herbert, today visited the Mildura Campus to announce that SuniTAFE was one of seven TAFEs eligible for fast tracked funding from the $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund.
The fast-tracked funding will help TAFEs in financial turmoil to stay afloat, so they can retain staff and improve training, courses and job opportunities for students.
The Labor Government’s $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund is the first step to repairing our TAFE system after the previous Coalition Government’s TAFE cuts brought the sector to its knees.
The TAFE cuts hit SuniTAFE hard, resulting in job losses, course closures and a declining share of the training market, meaning fewer local students got the skills they need.
A strong local TAFE and increased training delivery is vital to the Labor Government’s Back to Work plan to grow jobs.
Minister Herbert is also conducting a roundtable with key local businesses and industries to better align training with local industry skills needs.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Training and Skills, Steve Herbert
“The Coalition’s TAFE cuts made it so much harder for our kids to get skills, get a job and build a better life.”
“This is an emergency. With TAFEs running up more than $70 million in losses last year, there are TAFE campuses across Victoria on the brink of collapse and our TAFE Rescue Fund will keep them alive”
“The Labor Government is rebuilding our TAFE system and rescuing campuses like SuniTAFE in Mildura, so young people in Sunraysia and Northern Victoria can get the skills they need for the jobs they want.”
“We are supporting skills training that will grow jobs in key local industries like food and agriculture in Sunraysia.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020