The Victorian TAFE Association (VTA) welcomes the launch of the first Victorian Skills Plan (the Plan).
We commend the Victorian Skills Authority (VSA) on reaching this important milestone and for its collaborative approach with the VTA and the TAFE Network in the development of the Plan.
The Plan provides a clear message that the VSA is ambitious in its vision for meeting the challenges of building a future oriented and well skilled State; and that the VSA itself is committed to being a part of the action.
Words matter but actions are critical to success.
The VTA is encouraged to see that the Plan not only articulates the challenges and opportunities ahead for TAFE and the wider vocational education sector and the actions needed but that it also identifies a range of actions that the VSA will undertake in partnership with key stakeholders.
Key among these for TAFE is the VSA's intention to partner with the TAFE Network to develop education and training that delivers transferable skills, deeper knowledge and emerging skills.
We welcome the importance placed on TAFE as the core of the Victorian vocational education sector and the significant role it plays particularly in skilling the Victorian workforce – from new entrants to the upskilling and reskilling of existing workers.
TAFE is clearly recognised as being central to the delivery of the Victorian Skills Plan.
The VTA, the TAFE Network of Victoria's twelve TAFE institutes and four dual sector universities are keen to partner with the VSA in implementing the Skills Plan.
Further we welcome the Plan as another step in realising the important recommendations of the Skills for Victoria's Growing Economy Review (the Macklin Review).
It provides for greater collaboration around the design and direction of the Victorian VET system with all its stakeholders. And it recognises that unless there is a genuine commitment to collaborating for success from all the stakeholders – industry, employers, government, training providers and learners - the system will not meet Victoria's future skills needs.
In welcoming the first Skills Plan we trust that under this new collaborative approach the potential for longer term planning cycles may also be achieved.
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