THE State Opposition has accused the State Government of failing Wonthaggi and district when it comes to TAFE training opportunities over the abandonment of the Chisholm facility in the town.
Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath raised the issue in State Parliament last Thursday.
“My question is to the Minister for Skills and TAFE Minister, is Chisholm TAFE in Wonthaggi going to close on your watch?”
The Minister Gayle Tierney offered no commitment to face-to-face skills training.
“The fact of the matter is that there are ongoing discussions going on with Chisholm on the delivery of courses. We do have a number of areas in which vocational education and training can be undertaken at Wonthaggi. There are also arrangements with Chisholm and TAFE Gippsland to undertake a range of courses that will ensure that those that live at Wonthaggi do have access. There are also discussions with TAFE Gippsland in relation to them being able to further or extend their delivery into the community of Wonthaggi.”
Ms Bath had a supplementary question: “Thank you, Minister, for your answer. Chisholm TAFE Wonthaggi campus does not offer face-to-face learning. Why are students in Wonthaggi being refused access to the same standard of training that other Victorians have?”
Minister Tierney rejected Ms Bath’s assessment as an overstatement.
“There are discussions occurring, as I said, with Chisholm and TAFE Gippsland to ensure that the people of Wonthaggi can continue to have the services that they deserve in their community.”
The Minister’s assurances have not played well locally.
“Where? These are online courses which is exactly the problem,” said former local TAFE teacher, Malcolm Beasley, who is championing the cause of a properly resourced, face-to-face TAFE in Bass Coast.
“Gippsland TAFE with bases in Bairnsdale and the Latrobe Valley is not a solution for us. We’re falling through the cracks again (between city and country).
“What we need here is an in-person TAFE and someone to drive its success,” he said.
“Chisholm used to offer a Certificate III Early Childhood Education and Care and Diploma Early Childhood Education and Care onsite at Wonthaggi. Now it’s all online.
“The likes of Bass Coast Adult Learning and Bass Coast CUC do a great job supporting students but they’re not a TAFE.
“There’s a real shortage of childcare staff in this area which is hardly surprising because there’s nowhere to do a course between the Cardinia Shire and Morwell.”
Mr Beasley said there were a number of key workplace training gaps in what was a growing area and he’s proposing a training forum, bringing together the shire, Bass Coast Health, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Bass Coast Adult Learning and the CUC, industry and employers to address the issue.
“The solution might be to access federal funding and set up our own RTO (Registered Training Organisation) but there’s a massive gap in training here and it’s got to be addressed,” he said.
Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath said the situation as it exists now is not good enough.
“The Bass Coast community deserves surety that it will have access to quality face-to-face vocation learning opportunities,” Ms Bath said this week.
“As it stands, locals can only undertake training online while a vocational training centre with a purpose built computer lab, allied health and early childhood education facilities all sit empty.
“The lack of skills training in the Bass Coast is disadvantaging locals.
“It is unreasonable and financially draining for people who want to upskill and undertake a course to travel long distances to attend physical classes in other regions.”
Ms Bath said the State Government had been caught kicking the can down the road on Wonthaggi’s Chisholm TAFE.
“The local economy and job market in Bass Coast must be better supported by their local TAFE – we need skilled childcare, allied health, disability and aged care workers, trades and skilled hospitality staff,” said Ms Bath.
“It is unacceptable for a municipality of 42,000 residents to have no proper TAFE presence.”
The Shadow Minister for Skills and Training, Bridget Vallence, has also weighed in, saying the situation at Wonthaggi was emblematic of what was going on elsewhere in the TAFE sector.
“After a decade in office, more than half of Victoria’s TAFEs face financial uncertainty having required comfort payments from the Treasurer to continue their annual operations.
“This comes after data released by the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research revealed that in 2023 Victorian student enrolment numbers in TAFE fell again and have been in decline since 2019.
“The potential closure of TAFE campuses will result in job losses and leave students in limbo, particularly in regional Victoria.
“The Labor Government is creating significant uncertainty with the prospect of closing down TAFE campuses across Victoria, at a time our state is facing widespread skills shortages.”