Education Minister Adrian Piccoli met with staff at TAFE Western Bathurst when he visited the region yesterday.
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Mr Piccoli and Member for Bathurst and Minister for Local Government Paul Toole went on a tour of the Bathurst campus and met with local staff and students.
Mr Piccoli said he was interested in speaking to senior management about the restructure of the TAFE education system.
“Especially about the Smart and Skilled vocational education and training reforms and what funding goes with that,” he said.
Mr Piccoli said from touring different campuses he had found the main concerns of staff included supporting students with disabilities and providing supportive foundations for those seeking a first quantification.
TAFE was in the process of a restructure, and he said it was important to talk with staff and students about their concerns.
“We are in the process of restructuring, to make TAFE a more flexible organisation, as always whenever there are any changes people are concerned about the outcome, so it helps to explain the rationale behind the reforms,” he said.
Mr Piccoli acknowledged the restructure means there were less TAFE jobs, but said more money was being spent on the education and vocational training provider.
“We are spending more, but we are targeting more skills that can get people a job. We no longer fund fine arts courses, you can’t do a subsidised ceramics courses, some teachers are no longer employed,” he said.
“We are targeting the likes of a certificate III in aged care, hospitality and nursing.”
Mr Piccoli said he enjoyed being able to visit a regional centre like Bathurst.
“Getting out and meeting people is always the best part of the job, I live in Griffith and am very familiar with regional NSW,” he said.
“You always get [the] best information when you talk to people on the ground, I don’t teach students or apprentices, so it is best to speak to the people who do.”
Mr Toole said it was fantastic that Mr Piccoli had taken the time to visit the TAFE Western Bathurst college.
“TAFE is such an important part of the Bathurst community,” he said. “Enrolments here have increased over the past six to 12 months by 25 per cent.”
He said TAFE was an important opportunity for people wanting to learn a skill.
