OP-ED by Victorian TAFE Association CEO, Alex White
There has been much debate recently in the vocational education sector about how we can continue to reshape the perception of TAFE from a ‘second-choice’ pathway to a highly advanced, innovative skills infrastructure that is critical to addressing our workforce and economic needs.
Part of this debate questions whether how we measure the success of TAFE and initiatives like the Victorian Free TAFE is still fit-for-purpose.
Historically, governments measure TAFE outcomes via course completion – a signal that all available monies are paid to the provider on completion of the course. Satisfaction rates are also used for whether students are satisfied with course provision, materials, and tuition.
But in today’s world of increased scrutiny on how organisations operate, higher expectations from communities and stakeholders and more ways to slice and dice data than ever before – we wonder whether this is the right metric.
A recent Nous Employment Outcomes report, commissioned by the VTA supports a different perspective. That we should measure outcomes by whether students achieve their employment goals – whether that’s getting part-time or full-time employment, a promotion or an internship because of their vocational education and training experience within TAFEs.
Ultimately, what anyone wants from skills is to put them to use; to get a job, to be productive and through this, grow our economy so that all Victorians may prosper.
Victoria requires 1.4 million jobs by 2034. We need more workers joining the workforce, whether that be women returning to employment or the underemployed reskilling to earn more in a different industry or role.
TAFE is the critical supply that can address this level of demand. A big part of why that is, in Victoria, is Free TAFE – where a student’s course and tuition fees are paid by the Government.
In households where families and individuals are reeling under cost-of-living pressures this is a real helping hand for Victorians who wouldn’t be able to access vocational education due to cost.
Free TAFE is making training more accessible for students from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds, says a new report from the Victorian Auditor General’s Office. It endorses it as a critical policy leading to gainful employment for thousands of people.
The report highlighted benefits to the Victorian community, including increased participation in priority courses and student savings on tuition fees.
However, VAGO also suggested that the outcomes for students in Free TAFE courses were on par with similar courses.
But alternative analysis not considered in the VAGO Report confirms that Victorian TAFEs are delivering strong results for those undertaking training with an employment goal.
The Nous report, mentioned earlier, found that 91% of Victorian TAFE students achieve their employment-related goals, demonstrating that TAFE is effectively supporting pathways into work.
This is an extraordinary return on public investment that is not reflected in the VAGO report.
According to the Nous report, Employment Outcomes for Victorian TAFE learners, TAFEs are delivering consistently strong outcomes across priority industries in Victoria, with learners achieving their employment-related goals, including:
- 94% in the clean economy
- 93% in advanced manufacturing and defence
- 92% in health technologies and medical research
- 92% in construction
- 90% in agribusiness.
And importantly, these outcomes are being achieved across priority cohorts, with a high proportion of priority learners fully or partly achieving their employment-related goals:
- 94% of outer regional learners
- 91% of Indigenous learners
- 91% of learners experiencing socio-economic disadvantage
- 91% of women.
These results clearly demonstrate that Free TAFE is contributing to real employment outcomes and equipping Victorians with the skills to close workforce gaps and drive Victoria’s economic prosperity.
So, the question is not whether TAFE, or even Free TAFE is leading to outcomes – because we know without a doubt, it is – it’s what we determine that outcome means that matters.
If we all want a return on investment, that shows how the student goes on to meaningfully contribute to our society and economy- then the single measure of completion just doesn’t cut it.
What does cut it is an accessible, future-proof TAFE system that continues to deliver opportunity for decades to come.
