AEU report demonstrates benefits of Federal Government’s Free TAFE program

The Australian Education Union (AEU) has released a report about the Federal Government’s Free TAFE program, confirming the significant benefits of the initiative for a variety of sectors, fields and industries, including early childhood education and care (ECEC).

• Free TAFE is providing pathways for individuals, and particularly those for whom vocational education is a barrier to further study
• TAFE is providing access to priority cohorts in greater numbers compared to private RTOs
• TAFE is addressing critical skills shortages in areas of need
• Women make up close to 60 per cent of the Free TAFE student cohort, compared to around 50  per cent in the overall body of VET students
• TAFE program completers are more likely to represent the bottom two quintiles for socio-economic disadvantage when compared to students of private VET providers
• 56 per cent of parents would encourage their child to explore TAFE as a pathway, whereas only 29  per cent said the same about private registered training organisations
• TAFE and universities share similar outcomes for employment, with 78 per cent of TAFE students and 79  per cent of university students finding employment after study
• Among VET graduates who received income support prior to study, 39  per cent are no longer on income support two years after completion

• More than 150,000 enrolments in the Care sector
• More than 54,000 enrolments in the Technology and Digital sectors
• More than 40,000 enrolments in the Early childhood Education and Care sector
• More than 39,000 enrolments in the Construction sector
• More than 22,000 enrolments in the Agriculture sector