The Workforce Crisis
TAFE teachers are some of the most dedicated professionals in the country.
Here's how we keep them in our classrooms and attract the next generation.
A Workforce Worth Fighting For
Experienced teachers with deep industry knowledge and genuine passion for their students are what set TAFE apart.
Last year 64% of them considered leaving, and 88% had a colleague who did leave.
To ensure we keep TAFE teachers in the job, we need to action their reasonable requests for:
These are dedicated professionals who love what they do. The right investment will keep them in our classrooms, sharing their expertise with the next generation.
Freeing Teachers to Teach
TAFE teachers are working an average of 40 hours a week, despite being contracted for an average of 35 hours. The burden of administration, compliance, and reporting is increasing the pace and intensity of their work and keeping them out of the classroom.
78% say pace and intensity has increased. 56% report reduced student contact hours. Workload reform will reverse both trends and restore teaching to the centre of the job.
"Teaching, class preparation and marking will easily fill 37.5 hours per week. Any other activities such as meetings or administrative work either detracts from proper class preparation, delays marking - or more likely - requires unpaid out-of-hours work to catch up with routine activities."
— David, TAFE Teacher, Western Australia
Where the Time Goes
Admin and compliance tasks are consuming more of the working week. Rebalancing this will give teachers back the time for preparation, student consultation and professional development that drives great outcomes.
What Would Make Them Stay
The answers are practical and deliverable: workloads that let them focus on students, fair pay reflecting their expertise, secure employment, and time for professional development.
The Investment That Will Make the Difference
To rebuild and strengthen the TAFE workforce, governments should:
- Implement a ring-fenced workforce renewal and retention strategy
- Streamline administrative and compliance requirements to free up teaching time
- Guarantee dedicated time and funding for professional development
- Establish annual national TAFE workforce data collection to measure progress
Be part of the rebuild
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