The NSW VET Review Panel of Experts has released its Interim Report in a commitment by the NSW Government to rebuild TAFE NSW and reskill the state.

The NSW Government says in a statement that it: “Welcomes the findings of the interim report and will consider its recommendations. Work will progress on preparing a TAFE Charter to set the future direction for TAFE NSW and TAFE NSW will also start working on a revised operating model.”

The seven points below are a high-level summary of the recommendations:

1. The NSW Government should clarify the role of TAFE NSW in the NSW training system through a TAFE NSW Charter.
2. TAFE NSW should develop a revised operating model that aligns educational delivery with industry needs, prioritises local and community engagement and enhances support for teachers.
3. TAFE NSW and the NSW Department of Education should work together with education regulators to pilot self-accreditation of selected and agreed Australian Qualifications Framework courses. The pilot should include an evaluation process for future TAFE NSW self-accreditation.
4. The NSW Government should consider ways to rebuild TAFE NSW capacity to offer training. These include removing TAFE from the contestable funding market, streamlining its funding, ensuring funding for TAFE reflects operating costs and establishing clear guidelines for TAFE NSW so its assets can maximise public good and be used appropriately for commercial purposes.
5. The NSW Government should ensure governance arrangements for the NSW VET system are strengthened and set up to represent provider, industry and workforce expertise.
6. The NSW Government should increase the number of permanent roles for TAFE teachers and convert temporary roles to permanency within the NSW education system and TAFE NSW.
7. The NSW Government should audit the condition, age and geographic distribution of VET infrastructure across NSW. The audit should include TAFE NSW, public schools and all other government-owned or funded VET assets and see if there is alignment between major tertiary education infrastructure announcements and VET needs.”

The NSW Department of Education will also develop a NSW Skills Plan. This plan will provide a long-term, overarching vision for NSW skills sector to drive outcomes for individuals, industry and state.

The Interim Report can be downloaded by visiting the NSW Government website.