Queensland Vocation Education and Training (VET) students are a step closer to equality with university students after reforms to VET student loans gained support at a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Brisbane.
Minister for Training and Skills Development, Shannon Fentiman, who has been advocating for reforms to VET student loans, said removing barriers for Queenslanders to be able to access TAFE and training had been a key priority.
“It is fitting that COAG agreed to review the VET student loan system as a matter of urgency whilst meeting here in Brisbane, given how hard we have been pushing to remove the cost barrier that leaves VET students at a financial disadvantage compared to university students,” Ms Fentiman said.
“This has now become critical as VET students face a much more uncertain and often more expensive pathway to gain their qualification at a time when we desperately need more young people to build a skilled workforce.”
She said the COAG Skills Council’s commitment to reviewing the VET student loans as a matter of urgency was a step in the right direction toward a level playing field for VET students.
“We have 900,000 VET students in Queensland and half of the nation’s school-based apprentices and trainees,” Ms Fentiman said.
“University students have access to low-interest loans without a loan fee, while the comparable loan for a TAFE student is available only to a very limited number of qualifications and students pay an additional 20 per cent loan fee that is added to the debt.”
She said many students also faced an up-front gap payment before they even began studying.
“High cost is one factor that is driving more young people towards university. Another contributing factor is the misguided view that university is the only pathway to a rewarding career,” the Minister said.
