Technical and Further Education or TAFE (pronounced [tæɪf]) institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses in Australia, mostly qualifying courses under the National Training System/Australian Qualifications Framework/Australian Quality Training Framework. Fields covered include hospitality, tourism, construction, engineering, secretarial skills, visual arts, computer programming and community work.
Individual TAFE institutions (usually with many campuses) are known as either colleges or institutes, depending on the state or territory. TAFE colleges are owned, operated and financed by the various State and Territory Governments. This is in contrast to the higher education sector, whose funding is predominantly the domain of the Commonwealth government and whose universities are predominantly owned by the state governments.
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Qualifications awarded by TAFE colleges
TAFE colleges generally award qualifications up to the level of advanced diploma, which is below that of Bachelor degree within the Australian Qualifications Framework. In many instances TAFE study can be used as partial credit towards Bachelor degree-level university programs.
From 2002 the TAFE education sector has been able to offer Bachelor degrees and post-graduate diploma courses to fill niche areas, particularly vocationally focused areas of study based on industry needs. As at June 2009 10 TAFE colleges (mainly in Victoria, but also Western Australia, ACT, and Queensland) now confer their own degree-level awards and post graduate diplomas, though not beyond the level of Bachelor degree; this practice is somewhat controversial due to the blurring of once clearly defined boundaries between sectors.[1][2]
Students who enroll in these undergraduate degree courses at TAFE are required to pay full fees and are not entitled to Commonwealth Government supported student fee loans. While Universities have the ability and power to design and offer their own degree courses, each TAFE degree course must be assessed and approved by the Higher Education Accreditation Committee (HEAC).[1]
TAFEs in some states can also teach senior high school qualifications, like the VCE. Some universities, e.g. Charles Darwin University and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, offer TAFE courses; these are funded by the local state and territory governments. Some High Schools also deliver courses developed and accredited by TAFEs.
Some private institutions also offer courses from TAFEs, however they more commonly offer other vocational education and training courses.
Note that many Australians refer to all sub-degree courses as 'TAFE' courses, no matter what institution creates or delivers the course. Before the 1990s, the TAFEs had a near monopoly in the sector. TAFE courses provide students an excellent opportunity for certificate, diploma, and advanced diploma qualifications in a wide range of areas.
Links to immigration outcomes
Taking TAFE courses may entitle the trainee to be eligible for the skilled immigration program of Australia [3]. This results in large numbers of international students who have enrolled into TAFE courses for seeking immigration outcomes. Particularly, occupations that are highly recognised in the immigration program, like cookery and hairdressing, are welcomed by the immigration seekers in spite of their real occupational intention. Reports [4][5] revealed that document falsification and bad educational quality are flooding the TAFE industry for international students, damaging the reputation of Australia's education in the world [6].
TAFE colleges by state/territory
In most cases, TAFE campuses are grouped into TAFE institutions along geographic lines. Most TAFEs are given a locally recognised region of the country where they exclusively operate covering a wide range of subjects.
A few TAFEs specialise in a single area of study. These are usually found near the middle of the capital cities, and service the whole state or territory. For example, the Trade and Technician Skills Institute in Brisbane, (from 1 July 2006), specialises in automotive, building and construction, manufacturing and engineering, and electrical/electronic studies for students throughout Queensland. Or the William Angliss Institute of TAFE in Melbourne which specialises in food, hospitality and tourism courses for Victoria.
Australian Capital Territory
In the Australian Capital Territory these include:
New South Wales
There are ten TAFE NSW Institutes in NSW which include:
- Hunter Institute
- Illawarra Institute
- New England Institute
- North Coast Institute
- Northern Sydney Institute
- Riverina Institute
- South Western Sydney Institute
- Sydney Institute
- Western Institute
- Western Sydney Institute, including OTEN
Northern Territory
In the Northern Territory these include:
Queensland
In Queensland, TAFE Queensland includes:
- Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE
- Bremer Institute of TAFE
- Brisbane North Institute of TAFE
- Central Queensland Institute of TAFE
- Gold Coast Institute of TAFE
- Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE
- Mt Isa Institute of TAFE
- SkillsTech Australia (Trade and Technician Skills Institute)
- Southbank Institute of Technology
- Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE
- Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE
- TAFE Open Learning
- Tropical North Queensland TAFE
- Wide Bay Institute of TAFE
South Australia
In South Australia, TAFE SA includes:
- TAFE SA Adelaide North
- TAFE SA Adelaide South
- TAFE SA Regional
Tasmania
In Tasmania, there are two government TAFE organisations:
- TAFE Tasmania includes:
- Institute of TAFE Tasmania (general) [1]
- Drysdale Institute (for tourism and hospitality) [2]
- Australian Maritime College TAFE (maritime studies)
Victoria
In Victoria these include:
- Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE (Local: Bendigo-Echuca)
- Box Hill Institute (Local: Eastern Melbourne)
- Chisholm Institute (Local: South East Melbourne)
- East Gippsland Institute of TAFE (Local: East Gippsland)
- Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE (Local: West and South Gippsland and Chadstone (specialist high-voltage electrical))
- Gordon Institute of TAFE (Local: Geelong)
- Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE (Local: North East Victoria)
- Holmesglen Institute of TAFE (Local: Eastern Melbourne)
- Kangan Batman TAFE (Local: North West Melbourne, Specialist: Automotive)
- Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (Local: North East Melbourne (Specialist: Primary Industry Sector))
- RMIT University (Specialist: Graphics, Printing, Textiles)
- South West Institute of TAFE (Local: Western District)
- Sunraysia Institute of TAFE (Local: North West Victoria)
- Swinburne University of Technology (Local: Eastern Melbourne)
- University of Ballarat (Local: Ballarat-Wimmera)
- Victoria University (Local: Western Melbourne)
- William Angliss Institute of TAFE (Specialist: Hospitality)
- Wodonga Institute of TAFE (Local: Wodonga)
- The University of Melbourne discontinued its TAFE arm (which specialised in agriculture and forestry) at the start of 2007.
- DECA (Driver Education Centre of Australia) is also classed as a TAFE Institute and specialises in vehicle training.
Western Australia
In Western Australia TAFEWA includes:
- Central TAFE
- Challenger TAFE
- Swan TAFE
- West Coast Institute of Training
- Central West TAFE
- C.Y. O'Connor College of TAFE
- Great Southern TAFE
- Kimberley TAFE
- Pilbara TAFE
- South West Regional College of TAFE
- Curtin Vocational Training and Education Centre (Curtin VTEC) at Curtin University of Technology
See also
References
- ^ a b TAFE gears up to offer degrees By Rebecca Scott, The Age July 24 2002. Accessed August 3 2008
- ^ Leesa Wheelahan, Gavin Moodie, Stephen Billett and Ann Kelly, Higher education in TAFE, Research report published by National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), September 3, 2009. Accessed September 24, 2009
- ^ Skilled migration courses, Queensland Government December 3 2008. Accessed November 9 2009
- ^ Crime link to student scam By Chris Johnston, The Age October 31 2009. Accessed November 9 2009
- ^ Bruce Mackenzie AND Virginia Simmons, Free-for-all is damaging a vital industry, The Age August 13 2009. Accessed November 9 2009
- ^ Tenth school for overseas students collapses By Nick O'Malley, The Sydney Morning Herald November 7 2009. Accessed November 9 2009
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External links
State and Territory TAFE websites
VET
- Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST)
- National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)
- Australian Flexible Learning Framework (FLX)
- National Association of TAFE Managers - (AUSTAFE Inc.)
- National Training Information Service (NTIS - database of VET providers and qualifications)
Career guidance
- Australian Government myfuture portal: career guide Registration required
TAFE union sites
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