The Andrews Labor Government has commissioned yet another review into the training and skills system, despite spending $10m on the Victorian Skills Commissioner over the past 4 years and receiving 2 major VET reviews, with 180 recommendations, many of which have not been implemented.
The new review is supposed to address the Government’s record on linking training with industry needs and equipping students with the skills they need to get into the workforce.
The problem is the Government has already spent $10 million on the Victorian Skills Commissioner to do exactly that.
The Skills Commissioner’s role is “to work with industry to ensure that Victorian students get skills that will lead to real jobs and real productivity for industry and employers” and “advise Government on how it can meet workforce training needs and boost productivity for employers as well as analysing the training needs of existing and emerging industries”.
Given that the Commissioner has been working to ensure Victorians have the skills we need for our growing economy for the past 4 years, why don’t they listen to him? Why does this Government appoint experts like Neil Coulson, then ignore their advice?
Similarly, the Mackenzie and Joyce reviews made 180 recommendations, particularly about linking training to industry and job outcomes now and in the future. At what point is the Labor Government going to stop talking about addressing the failures of the system and actually make the changes needed and deliver for students and businesses.
The Government has even been provided with Sector reports over the past 3 years from Deloitte, KPMG, the Monash Commission and the Mitchell Institute providing thoughtful insight into what can and should be done to improve our training and skills system.
There’s no need for another review. Our industries are calling out for reform and our students deserve action now.
Comments attributable to Mary Wooldridge, Shadow Minister for Training and Skills:
“The Minister has to take action now to ensure that our students are graduating from courses that give them the skills they need to get jobs, now and into the future.”
“With over 100,000 fewer Government funded VET students compared to 2015 and the lowest TAFE completion rate in the country, the last things we need from the Labor Government is more dithering by undertaking yet another review.”