From the Premier of Victoria

$20 MILLION BROADBAND BOOST FOR TAFE

Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Regional and rural Victoria will get a major boost to broadband delivery as part of a massive
$316 million overhaul of the training sector unveiled today by Premier John Brumby.
Premier John Brumby said today’s landmark announcement would drive growth across regional and rural Victoria by improving infrastructure and facilities at TAFE institutes.

“The Government will provide $20 million to significantly improve broadband capacity across the state,” he said.

“Improving broadband access in regional and rural Victoria will support economic development and promote innovation.”

The upgrade of broadband is part of the biggest investment in Victoria’s history in to the state’s training sector, 172,000 extra Government funded training places would be created and in a landmark deal with the Commonwealth, university-style loans made available to students.

Premier John Brumby said today’s announcement would deliver massive benefits to students, employers, industry and the training sector while also tackling skills shortages across regional and rural Victoria.

“Securing Jobs for Your Future is the largest ever single investment in our VET system.”

Key features include:
•    The establishment of a Victorian Training Guarantee. This Australian-first initiative, gives people the entitlement to access Government-subsided training at any time so long as they keep moving up the qualification scale for skills;
•    The creation of up to 172,000 additional training places;
•    We will fund the hiring of an extra 900 teachers and 500 non-teaching staff;
•    We will support greater student choice – by enabling eligible students to train at either public or community providers, including a much broader range of private providers;
•    We will create the opportunity, for the first time, for students to access finance to study in TAFEs and private RTOs;
•    We will boost the workforce and IT capacity of the TAFE and Adult Community Education sectors;
•    We will give businesses support to make the training system easier to access for their workforces; and we will redesign the system to make VET easier to navigate for students and business.

“This will not only be a major win for students, but will make it easier for mothers wanting to return to work, workers seeking to increase their skills and Victorians wanting to train in growth industries.

“We are making a $316 million investment into creating a world-class training sector that will deliver for the future needs of business, industry and the community.

“These reforms will also drive growth across regional and rural Victoria.”

Other parts of the upgrade of Victoria’s training sector include:
•    $52 million to deliver Skills for Growth  - a new workforce development program to help Victorian businesses develop the skills of their workforce;
•    $20 million investment into boosting broadband capacity in TAFE;
•    $10.8 million to boost the capacity of Adult and Community Education providers right across the state;
•    $8 million to make it easier for students, the community and employers to access information on training options, employment trends and skills shortages;
•    $4 million to boost the Industry Training Advisory Boards to improve industry input to policy and decision making at the highest level; and
•    $2.5 million to train 250 industry practitioners as teachers in the training sector; along with broadening the skills of 1000 existing teachers;
•    A fairer fee structure with access to a university-style loan scheme for some students;

Skills and Workforce Participation Minister Jacinta Allan said small and medium sized businesses and their workforces would benefit from the new $52 million Skills for Growth program.

“Skills for Growth will provide hands-on support for businesses to identify how training opportunities can help their businesses grow,” she said.

“In a national first, the Commonwealth has agreed to extend its FEE-HELP structure to cover Victoria’s training sector.”
 
“We will also make the sector fairer by giving students at diploma and advanced diploma level access to a university-style loan for fees, giving them the option to defer upfront payment for training.

“Under the new fairer fee structure, fees for basic courses such as maths, reading and writing will be reduced, while fees would be increased for diplomas and advanced diplomas.”

“Currently, someone learning how to read and write pays the same as someone studying aerospace engineering – that is not a fair fee system,” Ms Allan said.

Mr Brumby thanked the Commonwealth for their strong financial support for the reforms in the provision of the university-style loans in particular.

“We look forward to working with them, together with the training sector and business to ensure we meet the skills needs of the future,” Mr Brumby said.

He said the Government will also provide $20 million to boost broadband capacity for TAFEs across the state.

“The Victorian Government will also fund the training of 250 industry experts so they can deliver training.”

“People with recent industry experience will be encouraged to take up part-time teaching, while still working in industry.”

Mr Brumby said by 2015 without change Victoria faces a shortage of 123,000 highly skilled workers.

“This $316 million upgrade of the sector will help create a new stream of skilled workers to meet the needs of business.”

“Our Government is delivering significant infrastructure projects and attracting high tech jobs to regional and rural Victoria – we need skilled Victorians to fill these jobs,” Mr Brumby said.

He said the $316 million reform package was an essential investment into supporting business, industry, community and the economy.