VECCI comment on release of the VET Funding Review’s Issues Paper

VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone said the organisation welcomes the release of the Issues Paper from the review of funding for Victoria’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) System, being undertaken on behalf of the State Government.

"VECCI’s submission and ongoing advocacy highlighted concerns that Victoria’s VET system is not providing industry with appropriately skilled employees, is overly complex and has lost the confidence of stakeholders," Mr Stone said.

"It is positive to see that many of the recommendations contained in the Issues Paper are aligned to those proposed in VECCI’s submission including:

• Establishing a workforce training innovation fund where businesses in new and emerging industries can co-invest with government to establish training packages to meet their growing needs.
• Ensuring courses across all industries are funded based on labour market and industry priorities, as identified by business.
• Providing fair and sustainable funding for the TAFE sector, subject to TAFEs meeting continuous improvement measures.
• Improving training provision in rural and regional Victoria, including varied funding rates to reflect local labour market needs in different geographical areas.

The reform direction outlined in the Issues Paper has the potential to substantially improve the quality of Victoria’s VET system.
 
We recognise the significant industry consultation that has been undertaken to date and look forward to contributing to the next phase of the review process.
 
For further information on VECCI’s VET policies please see our VECCI Higher Education Taskforce Report.

The Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) is the most influential business organisation in Victoria, informing and servicing more than 15,000 members, customers and clients around the state.

vecci.org.au

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