77 jobs go in CDU restructure plan as it saves $10 million a year

SEVENTY-seven jobs will go under a proposed restructure of Charles Darwin University in a bid to get its ballooning budget blowout under control. THE NT NEWS HAS OBTAINED ALL THE DETAILS

Gary Shipway

3 min read

September 29, 2020 - 8:32PM

The proposed new CDU campus in the Darwin CBD

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SEVENTY-seven jobs will go under a proposed restructure of Charles Darwin University in a bid to get its ballooning budget blowout under control.

The NT News can reveal, under the draft restructure proposal, $10m is expected to be saved and the 77 positions no longer required represent 5 per cent of all Charles Darwin University employees.

Nineteen of the 199 Vocational Education and Training courses on offer at Charles Darwin University would go under the draft change proposal.

CDU says some of the 19 courses to be removed have no current enrolments. The proposed course cuts would impact 628 students, including 28 apprentices.

The university has pledged to work with all current students to ensure they have an option to finish or continue their studies.

This draft Change Proposal supersedes a proposal released late last year that was not fully implemented.

CDU says its plan is to unify Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education to allow for future growth and create better pathways for more VET students.

Charles Darwin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Meredith Parry said the university’s financial position would not improve in its present form and it is acting on two external reports – by Ernst & Young and Drs Shanahan and Zoellner – that outline the specific challenges faced by CDU, which found the current Vocational Education and Training structure to be financially unsustainable.

Both recommended significant restructure of CDU’s Vocational Education and Training to balance the budget and refocus on growth opportunities.

Recommendations included that CDU deliver a set number of top performing courses, immediately set minimum class sizes; greater use of third-party delivery should be canvassed; encourage better teaching practices in the delivery of the selected courses.

“This will be a difficult time for many at CDU,” Deputy Vice-Chancellor Parry said.

“The way to make the significant savings required by Council will be for CDU to balance our budget through unifying Vocational Education and Training and Higher Ed to support growth.

“I am acutely aware that losing a position in a national market that could see up to 21,000 university sector jobs go by the end of the year is confronting, and comprehensive staff support measures have been put in place for staff and their families.

“Bringing Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education together would allow us to respond better to the needs of business and industry, respond to COVID and the challenges beyond.

“Already CDU has had an increase in interstate enrolments for Vocational Education and Training courses because students see the Territory as a safe place to do their VET training and study where they can attend classes in person, not just online.”

CDU is one of only six dual-sector universities in Australia, with 8700 or 45 per cent of its students enrolled in Vocational Education and Training.

CDU says since 2012, funding and enrolment for VET across Australia has been falling and the challenges of delivering VET in remote locations in the NT also presents unique challenges.

The draft Change Proposal will undergo consultation with staff until October 18, along with gathering feedback from industry and employers.

The list of courses facing the axe

Certificate III in Community Night Patrol

Certificate III in Business Administration

Certificate I in Business

Certificate I in Hospitality

Certificate IV in Business Administration

Certificate IV in Hairdressing

Diploma of Business Administration

Certificate IV in New Small Business

Certificate IV in Building Design Drafting

Certificate II in Automotive Air Conditioning Technology