Media inquiries: TAFE Directors Australia 02 6205 4600 or www.tda.edu.au
INFRASTRUCTURE AND STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT
BOOST FOR TAFE INSTITUTES
STREAMLINING OF APPRENTICESHIP FUNDING
BUDGET 2009 COMMENT
Australia’s TAFE Institutes have welcomed the funding boost for the Education Investment Fund
(EIF), and widening structural adjustment funding to all Higher Education providers, in the 2009
Federal Budget.
Extra sustainability funding in the new ‘Green Skills’ pledges will also motivate TAFE Institutes
to further strengthen sustainability training and skills for traditional and wider skill areas.
Streamlining proposed to Australian Apprenticeship funding, along with new ‘Tools for Trade’
apprenticeship funding will also be welcome. The Government’s retention of pre-apprenticeship
programs was also pleasing.
Martin Riordan, CEO of TAFE Directors Australia, said cutbacks to several incentive payments
will bring change to the sector, but welcomed the expansion of the EIF by some $2 billion, and
widening structural adjustment to all Higher Education providers.
Mr Riordan said the concern in the Budget was the lack of funding allocated to the recently
announced COAG initiative ‘Compact with
Young Australians’ – albeit some 135,000
Australians were scheduled to benefit from the measure – and no changes announced to the
Productivity Places Program.
The Deputy Prime Minister also discussed expectations that the COAG Apprenticeship
Taskforce will review future apprenticeship needs.
For further information -
Martin Riordan ……………… 0402 090 035
ABN: 39 070 265 734
National Secretariat
Canberra Institute of Technology
Block E, Southside Campus
Ainsworth Street, Phillip
GPO Box 826
Canberra ACT 2601
Australia
Media Release
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