TAFE Tertiary Preparation Course (Proof)

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About this ItemSpeakers - Torbay Mr Richard; McDonald Dr Andrew Business - Private Members Statements, PRIV

TAFE TERTIARY PREPARATION COURSE
Page: 83

Mr RICHARD TORBAY (Northern Tablelands—Speaker) [6.28 p.m.]: Some of the most challenging education issues facing us concern school retention rates and accelerating more people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds into university. The impetus is that our society is changing and most of the jobs of the future require higher academic qualifications than in the past, when blue-collar jobs were more plentiful. While this debate rages, it is often overlooked that we already have a weapon in our armoury that is successfully giving people from those target groups either a second shot at education or support to continue on at school. Not long ago I was invited to meet a group of students aged from their late teens to their forties undertaking their tertiary preparation course at the Armidale TAFE. Of the 12 students aiming to complete their Higher School Certificate this year, the majority are planning to go on to university.

One of the reasons for my visit was to hear an account from a mature age student, Ben McLean, aged 29, who completed the Tertiary Preparation Course and is now studying part time for his Bachelor of Education at the University of New England. His wife is studying nursing and the couple has two children. Ben told the class a familiar story. He hated school and left at age 15 years in year 10. He worked as a labourer on building sites and in the mining industry. It was not until he married and had children that he decided the best way to get ahead was by linking back into education through TAFE. He describes his time in the tertiary preparation course classes as initially very difficult as he had a lot of catching up to do, but to his surprise he discovered for the first time that he loved learning—they are great words. He also says he found TAFE an ideal environment with no bells ringing for classes, and skilled and supportive teachers who encouraged him through the difficult times. He enjoyed working with his fellow students and said what surprised him most was the confidence he began to feel in his ability to study and achieve.

In discussions after Ben's talk the other students said they too had been unable to thrive at school and liked the more adult teaching and learning environment and interaction with teachers at TAFE. They spoke about their plans to enter university and the confidence they now felt that they could achieve their goals. This second chance at education is working for them, with about 60 per cent of the original enrolment continuing to complete the course. The success of the general studies division of TAFE is repeated across my electorate at the Glen Innes, Inverell and Tenterfield campuses. Because courses can be delivered online, smaller numbers of students in classes can be accommodated. Courses range from basic literacy and numeracy, English as a second language courses for migrants, special courses for women through to the School Certificate and Higher School Certificate equivalent courses.

When students present at TAFE wanting a second chance at education they are assessed through the Australian core skills framework and guided into the courses best suited to them. One course that is achieving outstanding success in all Northern Tablelands TAFE campuses, with an 85 per cent retention rate, is the program to engage young people at risk of leaving school too early. These young people are nominated by their teachers to attend TAFE one day a week, where they are introduced to technical courses and positive educational experiences. These courses are popular with students, teachers and parents and have encouraged many students to continue with their studies to Higher School Certificate level or to achieve their School Certificate and move on to TAFE studies. Many students taking advantage of TAFE general studies courses are Aboriginal.

I particularly mention an initiative at Tamworth TAFE campus to assist indigenous people to enter the New South Wales Police Force. Eighteen students aged from 18 to 35 years from Armidale, Inverell, Uralla, Tamworth, Moree, Ballina, Boggabilla and Nambucca Heads have been interviewed and will start the course on 28 July. They will study in blocks of four days to gain the academic qualifications necessary for entry to the Police Academy at Goulburn. They will be assisted also with the complex application process and filling in their application forms for the academy. The general education faculty partners with police and liaises with Charles Sturt University to include all the essential ingredients for the course. The success of TAFE general studies courses in my electorate is repeated at campuses across New South Wales. It deserves wider recognition and support for the expertise that has been developed to re-engage many people in the formal education process and give them a second chance.

Dr ANDREW McDONALD (Macquarie Fields—Parliamentary Secretary) [6.33 p.m.]: I thank the member for Northern Tablelands for informing the House about the importance of the various TAFE courses. Nursing is a wonderful vocation and we are lucky to have men with extensive life experiences in that profession. TAFE is the educator of second and third resort in many cases and it is vital to the future of education in this State—more so for those at risk of disengaging from the education system. I thank the member for his comments and wish Ben all the best for his future in the wonderful profession has chosen.