The latest research results on Vocational Education reveals NSW to be ‘holding its own’ against declining national trends when it comes to skills and training.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee said the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) report on ‘Total VET students and courses 2018’ showed NSW was training 30 per cent of the nation’s apprentices and trainees.
“NSW Government-funded enrolments increased from 399,900 in 2017 to 407,600 in 2018, and NSW has seen a sharp increase in government-funded Certificate IV enrolments,” Mr Lee said.
“NSW also saw increased enrolments in apprenticeships and traineeships and Indigenous student enrolments,” he said.
“While some States saw their apprentice and trainee numbers decline by the thousands, I’m proud NSW had the biggest increase in the country.”
Mr Lee said more than $350 million had been allocated to deliver 100,000 fee free apprenticeships as well as 100,000 free TAFE NSW and VET courses over four years.
The NCVER said that this year’s report had used a different methodology from previous years, counting only nationally recognised training, meaning non-accredited training such as HSC courses and Statements of Attainment in Skills for Business were excluded in the figures.
The 33-page NCVER report can be accessed at this PS News link.
