The NSW Government has announced a comprehensive review of the vocational education system which aims to revitalise the TAFE system to be the best it can be.

Critical aspects of the Review will be to:

  • rebuild and strengthen TAFE NSW, recognising its vital role in serving our community;
  • address the current and future skills needs of NSW;
  • examine the challenges faced by disadvantaged individuals and explore recommendations to promote equity, particularly in regional and remote areas;
  • restore confidence in our high-quality vocational education and training system.

A key election commitment of the Minns Labor Government, the Review will be led by a three-person Expert Panel, which will consult broadly to develop robust recommendations to Government following a decade of cuts by the former Government which has seen:

  • A 45% decrease in TAFE NSW teachers from the 2012 TAFE NSW annual report to the 2022 annual report.
  • A 15% drop in permanent teachers since 2015 who were replaced by the equivalent number of casuals.
  • A 28% decline in TAFE enrolment numbers since 2012.
  • A 33% drop in apprenticeship and traineeship commencements since 2011.
  • A 67% drop in TAFE completions since 2011.

Member for Campbelltown, Greg Warren pointed out that Campbelltown boasts a higher percentage of individuals involved in tertiary vocational education than both the State and National averages.

“TAFE is an important educational and vocational pathway for so many people. Seeing care given to these programs and facilities, especially here in Campbelltown, is fantastic,” Mr Warren said.

The review will be led by Expert Chair Dr Michele Bruniges AM, who has worked in senior Government positions and as a board member in the education sector for the last 20 years.

Joining Dr Bruniges is a panel of experts including Professor Verity Firth AM, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Social Justice and Inclusion at UTS and former NSW minister for Education and Training, and Jason Ardler PSM, a Yuin man with two decades of experience in senior executive roles in the NSW public sector.

The review will be further informed by stakeholders engagement from education providers and experts, industrial representatives, students and professional bodies.

An interim report is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 with a final report prepared for government by mid-2024, guiding the development of the 2024 skills plan.