The news is good for SA TAFE

SA Education Minister John Gardner says training regulator ASQA has accredited the state’s TAFE for seven years. “It represents a significant step towards TAFE SA’s goal of becoming known as a benchmark for high-quality vocational education in South Australia.”

This is certainly an improvement on the shambles the public system was under the last Labor Government. A review of TAFE commissioned before the election last year, and released after the Liberals won, was scathing (CMM April 6 2018); “there is a large contingent of highly motivated and loyal staff who want to help restore confidence in the institution of which they are very proud, but who have felt alienated from and unclear about the overarching strategy and role of TAFE SA in the wider system.”

Not so much for CQU’s training division

A Queensland Audit Office report shows CQU VET enrolments down 14 per cent (to 8 300) between 2015 and 2018, with a $9m net loss that year. Competency completion rates dropped and costs were up over the period and while 73 per cent of graduates are satisfied with training this is 6 per cent under target. Just 65 per cent of employers are satisfied with graduate training. The university also relied on the state government for 46 per cent of revenue, still returning a $9m loss.

“Public providers offer qualifications in a broad range of subjects, including low-demand qualifications. They also maintain service delivery in remote and regional communities and support displaced students from any private providers that cease operating,” the audit office explains.