❓ Mr. Logan questions the impact of TAFE course and job cuts on economic diversification. Minister Harvey defends the cuts as necessary adjustments to changing market demands and redirects training efforts towards areas with higher employment prospects through Future Skills WA.
AnsweredQoN 357Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TECHNICAL AND FURTHER EDUCATION — COURSE
AND TRAINING OPTIONS
357. Mr F.M. LOGAN to the Minister for
Training and Workforce Development:
I refer to the Premier's
statement last week about Western Australia diversifying its economy and
creating jobs in a variety of industries.
(1) How is
cutting 87 different TAFE courses and reducing training options helping to
diversify the state's economy?
(2) How are
students and employers requiring a broad range of skills benefitting from the
minister's decision to cut 467 jobs from TAFE colleges across the
state?
AND TRAINING OPTIONS
357. Mr F.M. LOGAN to the Minister for
Training and Workforce Development:
I refer to the Premier's
statement last week about Western Australia diversifying its economy and
creating jobs in a variety of industries.
(1) How is
cutting 87 different TAFE courses and reducing training options helping to
diversify the state's economy?
(2) How are
students and employers requiring a broad range of skills benefitting from the
minister's decision to cut 467 jobs from TAFE colleges across the
state?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Cockburn for his question on training. The 87 positions
that the member for Cockburn referred to —
Ms
R. Saffioti : Courses.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Courses. I thank the member for the correction; I thank her so
much for her assistance.
The
SPEAKER : This is a question, not a self-answered question.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Thank you for your protection, Mr Speaker.
Training and workforce development
is one of my passions these days. By asking this question, the member for
Cockburn is failing to acknowledge that what happens in training and workforce
development and, indeed, in the courses that are offered by our state training
providers is that from time to time course descriptions change and they are
renamed. From time to time courses in areas that we call ''thin markets''
are dropped.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Mr Speaker, you will recall that in the house recently we were
talking about some of the programs which have transitioned students from
courses that were being offered by our state training providers and the fact it
was no longer sustainable to deliver those courses in Western Australia due to
student numbers. We made transition arrangements for those students to receive
those programs in other institutions and, indeed, for some of them in other
states. Our commitment as a government is to ensure that, through Future Skills
WA, we direct our students into courses that will lead to jobs. The government,
through Future Skills WA, has put the highest amount of subsidisation into
training programs that lead to employment. As a result of Future Skills WA, we
have seen a nine per cent increase in students taking up training programs in
areas that we know lead to employment. We remain committed to that program. As
I said previously, I will continue to monitor Future Skills WA and ensure that
there are no unintended consequences.
Members in this house need to
understand that as the market changes, so does training. Training shifts with
the various cycles in the economy. We are seeing mining companies withdraw from
training programs in different parts of the state. That is their decision as
employers because if they cannot see jobs in the pipeline in the future in
certain areas of their sector, they will not make a commitment to training. Our
challenge as a state government is to redirect that training effort into areas
in which we know there will be employment in the pipeline. We remain committed
to that. I will continue to monitor Future Skills WA to ensure that there are
no unintended consequences.
thank the member for Cockburn for his question on training. The 87 positions
that the member for Cockburn referred to —
Ms
R. Saffioti : Courses.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Courses. I thank the member for the correction; I thank her so
much for her assistance.
The
SPEAKER : This is a question, not a self-answered question.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Thank you for your protection, Mr Speaker.
Training and workforce development
is one of my passions these days. By asking this question, the member for
Cockburn is failing to acknowledge that what happens in training and workforce
development and, indeed, in the courses that are offered by our state training
providers is that from time to time course descriptions change and they are
renamed. From time to time courses in areas that we call ''thin markets''
are dropped.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Mr Speaker, you will recall that in the house recently we were
talking about some of the programs which have transitioned students from
courses that were being offered by our state training providers and the fact it
was no longer sustainable to deliver those courses in Western Australia due to
student numbers. We made transition arrangements for those students to receive
those programs in other institutions and, indeed, for some of them in other
states. Our commitment as a government is to ensure that, through Future Skills
WA, we direct our students into courses that will lead to jobs. The government,
through Future Skills WA, has put the highest amount of subsidisation into
training programs that lead to employment. As a result of Future Skills WA, we
have seen a nine per cent increase in students taking up training programs in
areas that we know lead to employment. We remain committed to that program. As
I said previously, I will continue to monitor Future Skills WA and ensure that
there are no unintended consequences.
Members in this house need to
understand that as the market changes, so does training. Training shifts with
the various cycles in the economy. We are seeing mining companies withdraw from
training programs in different parts of the state. That is their decision as
employers because if they cannot see jobs in the pipeline in the future in
certain areas of their sector, they will not make a commitment to training. Our
challenge as a state government is to redirect that training effort into areas
in which we know there will be employment in the pipeline. We remain committed
to that. I will continue to monitor Future Skills WA to ensure that there are
no unintended consequences.
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