THE slashing of TAFE funding in the western suburbs will cause considerable harm to the area’s prospects, according to a new study.
The Social Impacts on Melbourne’s West of TAFE Funding Cuts report by LeadWest finds the cuts are “of considerable significance”.
Victoria University stands to lose $40 million in TAFE funding, one of the deepest cuts statewide.
As reported by the Weekly, VU is slashing almost 80 courses and more than 100 teaching jobs and cutting a swathe through support programs. The report questioned the cutting of training for low-skilled residents at a time of rising unemployment in Melbourne’s west.
Melbourne’s west experiences unemployment of up to 11.6 per cent in Sunshine, and it has lower levels of year 12 completion than the state average, particularly in Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Melton and Wyndham.
The report found unemployment was especially high among people born in non-English-speaking countries (10.6 per cent).
“Foundation training offered through VET [Vocational Education and Training] is a key enabler for this group to gain employment,” the report stated.
“While the government argues that they are substantially increasing . . . funding for vocational education, this is effectively an increase for private provision of training and a reduction in the public TAFE sector.”
The funding shift also targets higher-level qualifications in specific trade areas at the expense of quality training for low-skilled workers.
The report found school students and their families would also be hurt by the TAFE cuts through higher fees for the VET in Schools program. In the Brimbank-Melton area, almost 4000 students in VET courses face an increase in costs.
Western Metropolitan Greens MP Colleen Hartland said TAFE enabled her to get a qualification as a mature-age student and escape low-skilled jobs.
“If I wanted to study today, under Baillieu’s slashed TAFE system, I just wouldn’t be able to,” she said.
A protest rally will be held in Footscray Mall at 12.30pm this Thursday.
Friends of Victoria University spokesman Dave Kerin said a public forum would also be held at the Maribyrnong Council reception rooms from 6.30pm on October 17 to build a community campaign against the cuts to VU.
