MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:31:20): I am pleased to rise and inform the house of a new Andrews government initiative announced last week to support free TAFE students to complete their studies. Last Wednesday I joined the member for Nepean, Chris Brayne, at the Chisholm Mornington Peninsula campus. This campus has been so important for the local community in opening doors for students from many different backgrounds who otherwise would not have had the chance to access further training. This government wants every TAFE student to have the skills necessary to succeed in their course. Sometimes this means that students need additional academic support, particularly those from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. This is why I was very proud to announce while at Chisholm $500 000 for a new pilot program between TAFEs and adult community education providers. This program will see Learn Locals partnering with TAFEs to develop new learning scaffolds, supporting at-risk students to strengthen their capacity to complete their course. The new study resources and additional literacy and numeracy, employability and digital skills classes will be delivered as part of this investment. Learn Locals are well placed to provide core skill training for learners who need that extra academic assistance. The TAFE and Learn Local partnerships will be trialled at two TAFEs. Chisholm is one of the pilots and SuniTAFE is the other TAFE, which I know a member for Northern Victoria, Mark Gepp, is very, very happy about. Spreading this initiative across regional and metropolitan TAFEs speaks volumes about the Andrews Labor government’s commitment to delivering for all Victorians. Free TAFE has been an incredible success, and these new partnerships will build an even better and more inclusive TAFE system.
Category: Parliament
