Fast-tracked university degrees for TAFE graduates win praise

Australia’s first ‘tradie university’ will revolutionise higher education by giving TAFE graduates direct entry and a full year of credit towards selected degrees.

University of Canberra vice-chancellor Bill Shorten has announced shorter degrees for TAFE graduates in fields including childcare, nursing and accounting. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Workers with a TAFE diploma can cut a year off their university degrees in a groundbreaking scheme that the Jobs and Skills Commission wants to roll out ­nationally.

Declaring that the University of Canberra would transform into the “tradie university’’, vice-­chancellor Bill Shorten announced direct entry into seven degrees, and up to a year of study credit, for students with a diploma from the Canberra Institute of Technology.

The university will also deliver a full music degree through TAFE Queensland.

Mr Shorten, a former Labor leader and government minister, said students stood to save thousands of dollars in student loans, known as HECS or HELP (Higher Education Loan Program) debts.

The shortened degrees cover nursing, government, project management, early childhood education, leadership and management, graphic design and ­accounting.

“UC can be trusted as the university where practical experience meets academic opportunity for skilled professionals and qualified tradespeople to advance their careers,’’ Mr Shorten said.

“Universities in the past have recognised TAFE qualifications but we want to take the hassle out of it – it should be seamless. The ramparts of universities are made forbidding by the cost and length but we want to pull down the walls for people who ­already have qualifications, life experience and work experience.’’

Mr Shorten said the pathways for students to move between ­vocational and higher education would “change the course of students’ careers (and) save them thousands of dollars in student debt’’.

His strategy won praise from a “very impressed’’ Jobs and Skills Commissioner Barney Glover, who challenged all universities to do the same. “I’d call on other vice-chancellors and directors of TAFEs around Australia to get with the Zeitgeist, which is tertiary harmonisation and block credit arrangements to make it seamless and straightforward for students to manage their way through tertiary education,’’ Professor Glover said.

“It’s good for the economy, it’s good for productivity and, importantly, it helps students to lower debt and move more quickly into the workforce, with skills matching national priorities.

“This will save students money, and certainly save them debt, because they may be coming through a free TAFE place.’’

Jobs and Skills Commissioner Barney Glover wants other universities to emulate the University of Canberra. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Mr Shorten, who quit politics last year to lead UC, said the scheme might eventually be extended to diplomas from other TAFE colleges and disciplines.

He said UC would also focus on short “micro-­credentials’’ that can be stacked into formal qualifications, for workers who want to upskill or change careers without dropping out of the workforce for years to study.

“Universities can learn from TAFE,’’ he said. “Their mantra is adult learning, and universities need to show they’re open for lifelong learning too. Perhaps in some quarters (of tertiary education), people felt that what they did was superior to TAFE, but it’s never occurred to me that one is better than the other. We’re not arrogant, we’re not up ourselves.’’

In the first tranche of changes, from the start of next year, a student with a diploma of childcare will be able to complete a primary school teaching degree in three years, instead of the usual four.

A diploma of graphic design will cut the first year from a bachelor of design, and an accounting diploma will shave a year off a three-year bachelor of business.

Professor Glover said UC was the first university to automatically recognise vocational diplomas across so many fields. “Other universities have done smatterings of this around the country – this is not the first time we’ve seen block credit arrangements but it’s great to see on scale,’’ he said.

“I’d like to see it become the norm right across Australia.’’

Professor Glover said universities would be able to prolong the careers of manual trades workers, by educating them in artificial intelligence, project management and business.