- Published:
- Friday 25 March 2016
The Andrews Labor Government is lifting the burden forced on TAFEs by the former Liberal Government, with a $50 million boost to support vulnerable students.
Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert visited apprentices and trainees at William Angliss to announce the first allocation of Community Service funding, part of the Government’s $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund.
The fund will help pay for vital programs that support some of the most disadvantaged members of our community who face barriers to training, and to support vital training in regional communities.
Liberal funding cuts devastated TAFEs across the state, ripping away funding needed to provide vital student services and support for disadvantaged and vulnerable students.
In many cases TAFEs were forced to drop vital programs or incur additional costs to continue providing these important services.
The latest figures show that since the 2012 cuts, government subsidised enrolments by indigenous students declined by 26 per cent, the number of students with disabilities by 30 per cent and unemployed students fell by 33 per cent.
The Labor Government is repairing the damage and supporting TAFEs so they can do what they have always done – give the most vulnerable students the best chance of getting the skills they need to maximise their opportunities in life.
William Angliss Institute is the first TAFE to receive funding from the program and will use its $3.35 million for important programs that support young people into work.
Its Hospitality Employment and Training (HEAT) Program will be improved with the funding from the Labor Government.
HEAT will deliver a 12 week full time youth re-engagement program that offers counselling and support services alongside hospitality training and employment support, to give young vulnerable people new opportunities.
The institute will also use its money to support indigenous students to take up training in hospitality as well as boosting its career support for students.
All of Victoria’s TAFEs and dual sector universities will share in a total of $200 million Community Service funding over four years.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert
"Public TAFEs play a vital role across Victoria in helping disadvantaged students gain access to training and job opportunities."
"We made a promise at the election to support TAFEs to help vulnerable Victorians and that’s exactly what we’ve done."