Fears the Quirindi TAFE campus will close in favour of online “shopfronts” has been slammed by Shadow Skills Minister Prue Car.
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The NSW Labor member described TAFE’s new Connected Learning Centre (CLC) announced by government in late 2016 as nothing but a “glorified internet cafe” and detrimental to local skills.
“How can you learn an apprenticeship in a shopfront,” Ms Car said in Quirindi on Wednesday.
“It will do nothing but disadvantage students in the local area. We want young people to stay in the town, contribute to local economy and secure good jobs for their futures.”
There is also uncertainty surrounding the future of Quirindi’s existing campus.
“My concern is that everywhere government has opened a shopfront, they have shut the TAFE,” she said. “When you close a TAFE in a rural or regional town, that's government giving up on the town.”
Quirindi resident John Reilly tried his best to keep TAFE teachers in town when he extended a furniture restoration course at his local campus about 10 years ago.
Once his initial instructional period had ended, he signed up for another “just so the teacher could keep her job”.
Duty MLC for Upper Hunter Mick Veitch said a TAFE shopfront did not serve the interests of the Quirindi community.
“You have to have a TAFE on a TAFE campus,” Mr Veitch said.
“This is another attempt to sell real estate in NSW. The campus will be sold at some stage in the future. We need government to rule that out.”
The Labor member said regional centres deserved quality “face-to-face” education.
“Communities like Gunnedah need a TAFE campus, a place to go to undertake face-to-face leaning,” he said.
“Online learning has a role but it's not the be all and end all for delivery of vocation in regional NSW.
“I’m hearing stories Singleton has a shopfront, that really concerns me.”
Nationals MP for Upper Hunter Michael Johnsen said TAFE NSW would not “divest” the “large, ageing” Henry Street campus before establishing Quirindi CLC.
“The proposed site for the Quirindi CLC is in the town’s CBD which will better position TAFE NSW to improve physical access for students and will enable a wider range of courses to be offered as a result of state-of-the-art technology and ICT infrastructure,” Mr Johnsen said.
He said the TAFE relocation into town would improve “accessibility, flexibility and mobility” and deliver “next generation learning environment in regional areas”.
He said government is committed to the future of TAFE in Quirindi.
“The NSW Government is investing in the future of TAFE in Quirindi and will ensure its presence in the town,” he said.
“Connected Learning Centres are student-focussed, digitally-enabled, next generation learning environment for students in regional areas to better access skills for jobs and a range of TAFE NSW services.
“The CLC will enable TAFE NSW to deliver new courses and learning opportunities, a personalised and connected learning experience and better access to teachers both on and off site.
The local MP said the Quirindi CLC is forecast to record 330 enrolments by 2021 across fields such as agrifood, automotive, electrotechnology, community services and health, business, digital media and technology, civil construction, beauty, general education including tertiary preparation and pathways to further study and non-industry specific training including short courses.
The Henry Street Campus recorded 80 enrolments in 2015 in automotive, business, digital media and technology. General education including access to work and training and tertiary preparation is also currently delivered at the campus.