INVERELL TAFE will be the setting for a rally next Wednesday, July 29 to raise awareness of the NSW institute’s decline.
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The event was organised by NSW Greens MP Dr John Kaye MLC who will attend the event.
Dr Kaye said the NSW Greens are concerned about the state of all state TAFE colleges.
“We can’t identify one which is doing well at the moment, thanks to the government’s so-called Smart and Skilled training market,” he said.
“Inverell being in an area which is economically vulnerable, and in an area where the sort of skills TAFE provides are critically important, becomes central to our campaign to stop the damage to TAFE.”
“This isn’t just about a few TAFE teachers, it’s not even about a couple fee increases,” he said.
“It’s about whether the Northern Tablelands can thrive as a knowledge economy; in an economy where skills are significant.”
He said NSW TAFE still provides 70 per cent unique training, unlike their Victorian counterparts with only 20 per cent, but he feared NSW was headed down a high unemployment pathway.
“If the Baird government would be serious about protecting the economy, they would be investing heavily in TAFE,” he said.
“Instead they’re happy to see TAFE receive a declining share of the total training budget.
“They’re happy to see fees skyrocket and they’re happy to see an increasing number of young and older Australians wanting a new skill being excluded from TAFE.” The 1pm rally on Wednesday is on the TAFE Inverell campus, and open to the public.