TAFE Victoria is having some challenges ahead…

Recently in the state of Victoria the Vocational Education and Training sector, specifically the TAFEs are facing new realities with huge budget cuts  handed out left right and centre. How does this affect the local student?

With the funding that TAFEs receive from State and/or Federal government helps towards providing a more affordable training platform for students to gain practical skill sets for gaining employment. Therefore in a nutshell, less funding means programs will go up in fee price or programs get axed, staff loses jobs, unemployment increases! FACT!

Some examples emerging online like this from the University of Ballarat (found on the ABC online website):

“The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) says the University of Ballarat has slashed 40 TAFE courses as a result of Victorian Government funding cuts.

The university will stop teaching the courses and will streamline the TAFE to address the loss of $20 million in State Government funding.”

or “A Latrobe Valley community action group has been formed to fight against state government cuts to TAFE 

About 200 people attended a community forum on the impact of TAFE funding cuts at Latrobe City Council offices.

The group, made up of current and former TAFE employees, Gippsland Trades and Labour Council, unions and the general public will lobby the state government to reverse funding cuts to TAFE.” 

But the problem is not isolated to Victoria, other states are now facing similar actions from their State Government counterparts, like in NSW, Hunter TAFE is axing up to 30 courses in the wake of TAFE revenue cuts of $16million. In QLD the similar circumstances may not be far from the books too as Premier Campbell Newman is reviewing spending across his govenrment bodies to find savings.

So how does this fit into the federal governments focus on skilling people up for employment and with a growing mining industry how does all this fit into the overall picture? Well we are still piecing it all together.

But for the future until…..it looks like TAFEs are doing it tough, maybe it is time the Federal Government steps up the funding and focus on where they need to evaluate the real needs for training. Today TAFEs and Unis work closer if not are dual sector players focusing on articulations, pathways and recognition of prior learning (RPL) to help assist people gain qualifications and practical work experience in the shortest and reasonable priced time frame making them more employable (this is the key of today)

How do we contribute to a solution? Well basically we dont have all the answers, within Studyfinder we have worked on methodologies to try and establish a way that students can obtain information on courses and compare prices, funding options and also the ability to seek RPL. One thing we are looking at is developing a way to create a pathway guide for all programs on our platform. Hopefully our tool can help students find their future. We are a small step but we aim to be the first most important step in your educational direction.

Anyway enough blogging we have work to do!

Griffith University Open Day..2011!

The time has come for you to visit Griffith University’s Open Day on Sunday 14 August from 9am to 2pm at our Gold Coast, Nathan and South Bank campuses.

There’s a lot to weigh up when you’re choosing a University and degree, your career. There are your natural abilities, your OP score and work life balance to consider. And, that’s just what Griffith University’s Open Day is for.

You can explore the campuses and degrees as well as your full-time, part-time or online study options. You will also discover how you’ll benefit from world-class research facilities and from lecturers who are pioneers in their fields.

When: Open Day – Sunday 14 August 2011

Where: Nathan Campus, Gold Coast Campus and Southbank Campus – Queensland!

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Here’s an eco-green college for you.

Here is a college focused on improving the issue of the environment and making sure we as a community are aware of the impacts and changes we need to help maintain the health of the environment. Environment Australia is just that registered training organisation (RTO).

About Environment Australia:

As the imperative to move towards a low carbon, sustainable economy becomes more urgent the recognition of the role of training in environmental areas in this transition is essential. As industries and companies adapt to change their skills requirements also shift. Targeted, relevant training can help to develop the human capital needed to meet future challenges. Environment Australia has evolved specifically to address sustainability skills training need. Providing courses and a recently a new Certification in Business Sustainability.

Their Vision:

Environment Australia’s vision is to help Australia become a global leader in implementing positive environmental change. Australia faces increasing national and international pressure to address the emerging issues of sustainability and climate change. Our company has evolved to met these new challenges.

Environment Australia runs a professional team passionate about the environment and are wanting to make a change and focused on disseminating their vision to the community. All trainers hold relevant qualifications and have gained “real-world” experince allowing the students the opportunity to connect to the industry and gain some “real-skills” with their learning.

Our primary objective is to provide environmental education and industry specific training to meet the emerging needs of Australia’s fastest growing industry sector.

For a list of course on offer, click here or visit Studyfinder

New Marine College opens in Cairns

In Queensland, Premier Anna Bligh has officially opened the new Great Barrier Reef International Marine College in Cairns. Located right on the doorstep to the Great Barrier Reef and its warm tropical waters in Cairns, Australia.

Opened as on of Australia’s first comprehensive international marine training college and it is aimed at positioning itself to be the leader and well equipped marine training centre in the southern hemisphere. This College was created from a joint effort by;  Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE, Woree State High School and the Australian Marine Training Network.

This new facility will provide domestic as well as international students the opportunity to train in over 30 programs ranging from deckhand, marine radio, forklift and dogman’s ticket to advanced skipper and engineering. including a school-based Marine Tech program.

The College is one of the best equipped marine training centres to be established  in the southern hemisphere, comprising from a list of hi-tech equipment ranging from of a full Mission Bridge Simulator, Emergency Response Simulator and an immersion pool, as well as the required facilities for Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET).

The college facilities are also available to industry operators for higher level qualifications and for research and development.

 

Check them out at: www.gbrimc.com.au

 

IS: Time to get married? Wedding Event courses – read on!!!

Time to get married?  Keen to organise, prepare and put on an event of a lifetime?

Check out what the Australian Academy of Wedding and Event Planning can do to achieve this goal!

The Australian Academy of Wedding and Event Planning (AAWEP)offers courses in Wedding Planning, Wedding Styling, Event Planning and Event Design endorsed by the Association For Wedding Professionals International (AFWPI).

     

AAWEP wedding and event planning, design and styling courses are written in Australia for the Australian market, and will teach you everything you need to know to start your own full, or part time wedding planning business, join an existing business, or specialise within these areas inside a venue.

     

We are the largest and most well known provider of industry based career training within the industry and with over 15 years of experience, we have assisted and prepared many students to start careers as wedding planners and corporate event managers.

 

     

AAWEP teaching and support staff are all there to help you build a long lasting and fulfilling career. We have aligned ourselves with some fantastic industry partners including hotels, conference venues, event management companies and design teams to give you hands on experience. It is with their help that we are able to bring our courses alive here at The Academy.

 

     

Put some creativity back into your life – become an event designer today.

     

 

 

For more info about the courses and what AAWEP offer,click here.

     

Building a path to Landscaping – Courses in Landscape Design

Industry Spotlight: Building a path to Landscaping

Landscaping, gardening and horticulture is really big in Australia. It’s so big it’s actually the second largest rural production industry after wheat. Have you ever thought of looking at Landscaping or Horticulture courses.

There are fantastic opportunities within these fields with interesting tasks and courses. Ever thought about designing the perfect environmentally sustainable garden, manage your own Landscaping business, There is a wide range of landscape operations across the sector with a key division between those who focus on hardscape construction, which is often linked to the construction industry, and softscape development with a more eclectic approach to plants establishment and maintenance.

Look no further than starting the path with Envirotech Education located on the sunny Gold Coast offering 2 courses: Diploma of Horticulture -Landscape and Certificate III in Horticulture – Landscape. Graduates of this course are equipped and qualified to in areas including: Landscape Gardener, Landscape construction, landscape tradesperson, landscape supervisor/manager and landscape designer. You may gain employment within the Landscaping Industry in General or Leading Hand positions. Future directions may also include starting your own Landscaping Business. Some possible job roles may include: Landscape Gardener, Landscape Supervisor and Landscape Designer.

For more info about the courses and what Envirotech Education jump onto www.studyfinder.com.au and start finding…