TAFE facing more cuts, warns local MP

Campbelltown MP Greg Warren says students and staff at Campbelltown TAFE should brace themselves for more cuts to funding and a reduction in face-to-face teaching.

Mr Warren said the cuts were part of the next stage of destructive so called reforms announced today by the Baird Government.

Hiding behind the cover of an announcement of a new structure, Skills Minister John Barilaro foreshadowed the prospect of yet more TAFE cuts, Mr Warren said.

Under plans announced today by the Baird Government local TAFE campuses like Campbelltown will now operate under a centralised unit, signalling the possibility of further course cuts at the already gutted Campbelltown campus.

Already stretched administration and teaching staff and budgets at Campbelltown are also in line for deep cuts.

More teaching will be conducted online rather than face-to-face.

This will result in complex trades being taught via a computer screen rather than in the TAFE workshop. For a region requiring apprentices in complex trades, this change will greatly disadvantage the Macarthur region.

“The Macarthur region was once the flagship for trades training in NSW, but the Baird Government has sold the education of the Macarthur region short,” Mr Warren said.

“Less face-to-face training will mean lower skilled apprentices.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“The Macarthur region is in desperate need of apprentices with complex trades skills.[/social_quote]

“These cuts will further disadvantage our region.

“With youth unemployment high in Macarthur, we need to properly fund TAFE, not rip funding away.

“These latest cuts by the Baird Government will devastate the young apprentices of the Macarthur region,” Mr Warren said.

Damning figures in State Budget

The local MP said the announcement of deeper cuts to TAFE comes off the back of damning figures in the latest state budget that spell out the destruction of TAFE under the Liberal-National Government:

• 126,000 fewer students enrolled compared against 2012;

• 14,567 fewer students with disabilities enrolled in TAFE compared to the same period;

• 5,200 teachers and support staff sacked since 2012.