We are a community of thousands of people working together to support their world-class TAFE system. We are past and present TAFE teachers, students, unions and community members who want to rebuild TAFE and Rebuild with TAFE.

The Issue

A new era has begun for TAFE with the renewed focus on skills and vocational education at a national level. In September 2022 at the Jobs and Skills Summit, unions, employers, civil society and governments came together to discuss the nation’s shared economic challenges and the need for immediate action for skills and training. 

Since that time, TAFE has been recognised as the anchor institution for public vocational education in Australia. With the signing of the National Skills Agreement, the Commonwealth will provide additional funding of up to $3.7 billion for vocational education and deliver a national VET system that focuses on high quality, responsive and accessible education and training. This will be backed by historic investment in TAFE at a state and territory level. 

Further, significant national policy work is underway with the VET Workforce Blueprint focusing on investing in a high-quality VET teaching workforce, lifting the quality of vocational education, and the delivery of Fee-Free TAFE among other measures. For the many thousands of students who attend TAFE, and the TAFE teachers who provide high quality vocational education every day, the change in policy and investment direction is life changing.

However, this is just the beginning for TAFE. After more than a decade of funding cuts under the previous Coalition Government, the TAFE teaching workforce, campus programs and TAFE infrastructure need to be rebuilt. 

There has never been a greater need for further investment to ensure that Australia has a high quality, well-resourced and respected TAFE sector. Properly funded vocational education provides significant economic and social benefits to the Australian community.

All governments must commit to additional investments which include:

A TAFE teaching workforce renewal and retention strategy with investment reserved for ending high levels of casual employment and high workloads.

Ongoing funded support for students with additional needs enrolling in Fee-Free TAFE to improve student engagement, retention and achievement. This funding should focus on support such as foundation skills, mental health and digital literacy for students with complex needs.

A large capital works and equipment investment program to match the significant funding commitment that the Commonwealth has made to Fee-Free TAFE courses so that TAFE campuses can accommodate the additional 500,000 student enrolments in state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities.

Add your voice

By joining the Rebuild with TAFE campaign you’ll be standing alongside thousands of supporters across the country who believe in the power of public vocational education to shape our country’s future. Together, we can show the Albanese Government that we demand real investment in TAFE – an investment that will support teachers, upgrade facilities, and provide the modern resources that students need to succeed.

Add your voice and tell the government to Rebuild with TAFE and invest in a positive future for all of us.