NORTH REGIONAL TAFE
1115. Hon KEN BASTON to the Minister for Education and
Training:
I refer to the 30 July media release
''Bolstering Kimberley Training with $16 million TAFE Investment'',
which includes the announcement of a $10 million
hospitality centre. If student outcome data is not tracked at a local level,
as per the answer to question without notice 1092, how are outcomes measured to
''ensure students are job-ready and equipped to take up local employment
opportunities in the hospitality and tourism industry''?
Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
The
McGowan government has worked closely with Western Australian industries,
businesses and employers across the state to find out the types of
skills needed right now and for future jobs. Under the previous Liberal–National
government, TAFE fees skyrocketed, some increasing by as much as 500 per cent.
This put TAFE and training out of the reach
of many ordinary Western Australians. Through the McGowan government's
highly successful lower fees, local skills program, TAFE fees have been
slashed for 73 high-priority qualifications that match up with the skills
employers are looking for. Across these courses there has been a 20 per cent
increase in enrolments since the start of the year, with a third of enrolments
taken up by students living in the regions.
As part of the $57 million training
recovery package, three new job-ready skill sets have also been developed to
help students get ready for their first job or re-skill quickly for employment
opportunities that will be available in the hospitality and tourism industry as
WA's economy recovers. The Kimberley jobs and skills centres are
actively assisting jobseekers, including graduates, into job openings in the
hospitality and tourism industry.
The Department of Training and
Workforce Development measures uptake and outcomes for students primarily
through monitoring detailed enrolment data and through the conduct of student
surveys. With the assistance of the State Training Board, the department also
has an ongoing program of engagement with industry and business to ensure that
training priorities and offerings continue to be aligned with employment
opportunities.