Bush Summit 2022: TAFE enrolments plunge by more than 70 per cent in regional centres
New figures reveal there are just a fraction of the students in regional TAFEs compared to a decade ago. See which campuses are experiencing the biggest declines.
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Enrolments at TAFE campuses in regional NSW have plunged dramatically over the past decade, with the Labor opposition accusing the state government of running the vocational education system into the ground.
Across the state, there are 70,000 fewer students studying at TAFE compared to a decade ago, with the biggest declines seen in regional centres.
That includes campuses like Trenayr TAFE in the state’s north where enrolments declined 88 per cent, going from 461 students to just 57 between 2011 and 2020.
It is a similar story at the Wellington campus where enrolments are down 82 per cent, at Leeton campus enrolments are down 81 per cent while campuses at Forbes, Glen Innes and Condobolin all have 70 per cent fewer students compared to 2011.
Opposition TAFE spokesman Tim Crakanthorp said it was clear that students were abandoning the vocational education provider in droves.
“For 11 long years, this government has run TAFE into the ground through the OneTAFE reforms, enrolment system debacle, campus sell-offs and course cuts, and their actions have undoubtedly contributed to the skills crisis,” he said.
“The NSW Liberals and Nationals love privatisation, and TAFE is the next public institution they want to put on the chopping block.”
Skills and Training Minister Alister Henskens yesterday defended the government’s record on TAFE saying they had delivered a record $2 billion recurrent budget for TAFE NSW this financial year including specifically for regional campuses — an investment which had contributed to a record low unemployment rate.
“For example, more than $1 million has been invested in upgrading Leeton’s electrotechnology training facilities, new virtual teaching and learning spaces, and new classroom computers,” he said.
“We have also expanded TAFE NSW’s regional footprint, building 20 state-of-the-art new Connected Learning Centres, with two more on the way, to provide people with greater choice and better access to world class, future focused learning opportunities.
“In some instances, these new CLC’s are the first time there has been a permanent TAFE NSW presence in their communities. This investment in regional areas alone exceeds $120 million.”
The Daily Telegraph’s 2022 Bush Summit will be streamed online live and free on Friday August 26. Register to watch here: https://bushsummit2022-dailytelegraph.splashthat.com/
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