Premier gives a TAFE training guarantee
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John Brumby gives a TAFE training guarantee. (ABC News: Tim Marshall)
Industry groups have welcomed the Victorian Government's decision to improve skills training by overhauling the TAFE system.
The Government is spending $316-million to give every person who wants to upgrade their skills a place at TAFE.
Diploma and advanced diploma students will have access to a Commonwealth-funded university-style loan system.
The Australian Industry Group's Tim Piper says businesses desperately need more skilled workers.
"We've got 65 per cent of our members that tell us they've got skills issues. Two thirds of those tell us that affects their innovation and that affects their productivity," he said.
"And we've got 60,000 skilled jobs that have been unfilled in Victoria at the moment, so we need a program that's going to help us develop that."
The four year program will create 172,000 new training places and with an extra 900 teachers.
The Premier, John Brumby, says more people need to upgrade their skills.
"Far too many people have only year 10 education or year 12 education and haven't gone beyond that," he said.
"What these reforms will do is give every person in Victoria that entitlement to train, as we've called it. It's a training guarantee. So I don't think there's any doubt you'll see more demand, not less."
Mary Bluett of the Australian Education Union says the Premier has made a mistake by increasing fees.
"Increasing fees, some fees up as much as 300 per cent, will be a barrier to participation and the same people who won't take up those courses will not go into debt to fund those courses," she said.
"So, there is a potential that this initiative could, indeed, be counter-productive to the skills shortage."
