TAFE cuts shock

By Michelle Herbison
STAFF AT Gordon Institute of TAFE are bracing for job cuts after an analysis estimated State Government funding cuts at $14.6 million.
Gordon chief executive office Grant Sutherland warned of “significant” job losses and course cancellations “across all levels and areas of the institute”.
The budget cuts were on top of a $2.5 million funding decrease in October, Mr Sutherland said.
The institute’s 2012 revenue budget was $69.9 million.
Mr Sutherland said the institute had yet to determine how many staff would lose their jobs.
“The Gordon will have to redefine our operations and reinvent ourselves to be able to operate within severe financial constraints,” Mr Sutherland said.
“We must shape and drive our own destiny.”
Mr Sutherland said the institution must submit a transition plan to a Government-appointed independent panel by June 30.
“This deadline will be a major influence on the timing of redundancies and other key decisions.”
Australian Education Union acting vice-president Greg Barclay expected the cuts to have the biggest impact on “E band” courses and associated jobs.
E band courses included retail, business, hospitality, process manufacturing, health and outdoor education.
“Some of these courses’ funding is down to $1.50 an hour. We believe no institute will be able to provide them in a financially viable way.”
Mr Barclay said funding would be halved to $5 an hour for courses in B, C and D bands.
“The Baillieu Government has clearly shown it has no commitment whatsoever to the public TAFE system. In order to cover the profiteering of the private sector it has ripped the heart and soul out of TAFE.”
Mr Barclay said TAFE providers had labelled the funding cuts “privatisation by another name”.
“The Government blew the budget last year because it gave too much money to the private sector to run cheap courses. The courses its decided to cut the funding to are courses TAFEs traditionally ran for decades but now the greedy private providers profiteer out of the system.”
Mr Barclay said he doubted even private providers would run E band courses.
“They’ve made it so unattractive by providing a price so low, who’s going to run them in the future?”