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Australia ’ s economic recovery depends on a strong independent vocational education and training sector .
Skills sector ‘ doing it tough ’
Drop in vocational students blamed on COVID .
By Wade Zaglas
Vocational education and training ( VET ) providers have faced many of the same challenges as Australian universities , with COVID-19 international border closures and ‘ stay at home ’ orders responsible for plunging student numbers .
Data provided by the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research ( NCVER ) shows that the total number of students studying a VET course dropped by 6.4 per cent since 2019 , to 3,939,385 students in 2020 .
And the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia ( ITECA ) – which provides support for independent providers across a range of sectors – “ is strongly of the view that the fall could have been arrested if state and territory governments had been more innovative with their skills funding models ”.
“ Throughout Covid-19 , we have had millions of Australians essentially locked in their homes unable to attend training colleges or work placements required as part of their training ,” ITECA chief executive Troy Williams said .
“ It is very disappointing that , in this environment , state and territory governments failed to allow funded skills training to be undertaken fully or partially online .”
The data released by NCVER highlight another significant concern : independent vocational education and training providers experienced the biggest falls in student enrolments .
“ ITECA has been clear in our advice to the government that the independent skills sector has been doing it tough . The NCVER data confirms this , with the sector experiencing a 9.1 per cent fall in students to 3,316,045 ,” Williams said .
The NCVER report also found that , when compared to 2019 , 2020 figures were stark :
• Full-year training equivalents ( FYTEs ) decreased by 5.9 per cent to 1 million .
• Students enrolled in nationally recognised programs decreased by 2.4 per cent to 2.1 million .
• Students enrolled in subjects not delivered as part of a nationally recognised program decreased by 9.9 per cent to 2.4 million .
FALLS ACROSS THE STATES , TERRITORIES AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
NCVER data also highlighted the student enrolments in 2020 for each state and territory , compared with 2019 numbers . Here is what they found , with Victoria topping the country in VET drop-outs .
• Australian Capital Territory ( -12.0 %)
• New South Wales ( -7.6 %)
• Northern Territory ( -8.0 %)
• South Australia ( -5.5 %)
• Tasmania ( -3.9 %)
• Victoria ( -13.5 %)
• Western Australia ( -4.8 %).
The only state to buck this negative trend was Queensland , where total student numbers enrolled in a VET course increased by a meagre 0.2 per cent .
“ The fall of 6.2 per cent in the number of students in part-time training is of concern , but what should worry the government and business is the 7.6 per cent fall in students undertaking full-time training ,” the ITECA chief said , calculated using the NCVER ’ s Databuilder section .
Williams is also concerned about the slump in international VET in recent times , which places more pressure on Australia ’ s economic rebound .
“ Just when Australia needs a robust skills sector to support the economic recovery , the nation ’ s independent skills sector is hit with declining domestic and international student enrolments ,” Williams said .
“ We need governments at all levels to recognise this and put in place the architecture to ensure the sustainability of the skills sector .”
WHAT CAN BE DONE ? There are four “ immediate steps ” ITECA has recommended to the National Cabinet – Skills Committee . These include :
• An extension of the waiver for fees and charges levied by the Australian Skills Quality Authority ( ASQA )
• An extension of the waiver for fees and charges associated with an entry on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students ( CRICOS )
• A reintroduction of the waiver of the 20 per cent loan tax on VET Student Loans
• Changing state / territory government skills funding models , allowing students to study from home . A major change ITECA would like to see in the National Skills Agreement currently being negotiated would be to funding highquality online learning .
“ As the Australian Government negotiates a new skills funding agreement with its state and territory counterparts , ITECA believes it imperative that independent providers with a demonstrated commitment to excellence be permitted to deliver government-funded online training ,” the ITECA chief said .
“ This will keep students in lock-down engaged with their studies when they are unable to attend on-campus or on-the-job training .
“ Australia ’ s economic recovery depends on a strong independent vocational education and training sector , so we need the government to step-up and support the sector ,” Williams concluded . ■
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