THREE million dollars has been cut from the budget of the TAFE NSW New England Institute (NEI) with the impact to be felt by staff, students and course delivery.
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The cut, announced in a regular meeting of the institute consultative committee, will be made over the next two financial years, and follows a $2 million budget cut this financial year.
That cut was absorbed through efficiencies within the business, but the next reduction in funding is expected to have a bigger impact on staff, students, and courses.
NSW Teachers’ Federation TAFE organiser Kathy Nicholson said the two budget cuts announced represent about 13 per cent of the TAFE budget.
“We’ve been having budget cuts since 1997, and it’s going to be very difficult to deliver skills to people in our region without money,” Ms Nicholson said. “This will result in the reduced opportunity for students in the region, with course cuts and compression of courses, meaning a reduced time for people to study.
“There will be less opportunity to provide student support like counselling services, Aboriginal support and disability support.”
Ms Nicholson, who is based at Inverell, said she also expected staff cuts.
“There’s no way they’re going to be able to proceed without cutting jobs, and every job cut out of the public sector takes with it another job out of the community,” she said.
“TAFE staff are feeling confused and anxious. They’re worried about their jobs.”
The cut is expected to lower the number of people able to study trade subjects, which cost more to run.
“Trades training is costly and requires expensive infrastructure,” Ms Nicholson said
“Smaller towns are already seeing reduced courses.
“There are no trades or primary industry offerings at Inverell due to the last cut.
“If we don’t have trades and primary industries it’s very difficult to engage boys. Boys often say school doesn’t work for them but if you get them doing something hands-on, they can participate.
“We should have sufficient funding to grow and develop our own young people, then they stay in our community.”
Tamworth Business Chamber president Tim Coates said he doesn’t expect a dramatic change in the way courses are delivered through TAFE. A change in the governance model within TAFE and the Department of Education and Communities would allow TAFE to competitively tender for other opportunities to provide training.
“They’re restructuring the governance of the model of TAFE NSW which will give them greater opportunities to access funds from other areas of vocational education funding,” Mr Coates said.
“TAFE NSW has the ability to reform its employment model to achieve greater flexibility.”
The work of the NEI was recognised with the award for NSW Large Training Provider of the Year at the 2011 NSW Training Awards.
“That’s a testament to the good work they’ve done. We need a very strong and vibrant TAFE for Tamworth and the region to provide quality education,” Mr Coates said.
“They’ll find a different way to adapt and provide the same quality service,” Mr Coates said.
“The community service obligation to provide to rural and remote areas will still be provided. That funding hasn’t changed.
“I’m sure with right business model they’ll go from strength to strength.”
The NEI will see a change of leadership when director Paul Callaghan leaves the region next month.
Mr Callaghan last week released a statement saying the NEI was currently carrying out critical planning activity for the 2013/2014 financial year.
He said considerations include efficiencies targets as part of a four-year program which commenced in the 2012/2013 year.
“NEI will continue its commitment to providing high quality training to industry and local community but will obviously need to deliver services with the financial resources available,” Mr Callaghan said.
