The Department of Education is to embark on a range of new reforms, implementing all five recommendations of the Gonski-Shergold Review of the NSW Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector.
The Department said it was committed to establishing Careers NSW; establishing a new form of tertiary education: The NSW Institute of Applied Technology (IAT); advocating for VET student loans to be established; improving the quality of vocational education available in high schools; and consulting with industry experts on VET course curricula.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the report, In the same sentence: Bringing higher and vocational education together, would be used to advocate for the Commonwealth’s VET Student Loan scheme to be expanded to bring financial support for VET study into line with university study.
“The IAT will be a new model of tertiary education that will fully integrate the theoretical study of university with the practical training of vocational education,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Students will be able to study flexibly,” she said. “For example, a student can complete a Certificate IV in year one, progress to a Diploma in year two and have the option of achieving a Bachelor in Applied Technology in year three.”
Ms Berejiklian said the new education model would see industry and universities partner with TAFE at Meadowbank and Kingswood campuses to ensure NSW was set up to take advantage of the changing workforce requirements.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee said the Gonski-Shergold Report highlighted the fact that the skills needed by industry were evolving, and the State’s VET sector must evolve and remain accessible to ensure the people of NSW continued to undertake vocational education.
The 57-page report of the Gonski-Shergold Review can be accessed on the Department’s website at this PS News link.
