Technical and further education

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Technical and further education or simply TAFE (Template:IPAc-en) is the common name in Australia for vocational education, as a subset of tertiary education. TAFE institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational courses. Colloquially also known as "Tech".Template:Fact

Individual TAFE institutions (usually with numerous campuses) are known as either colleges or institutes, depending on the state or territory.

In Australia, where the term TAFE originated, institutions usually host qualifying courses, under the National Training System/Australian Qualifications Framework/VET Quality Framework. Fields covered include business, finance, hospitality, tourism, construction, engineering, visual arts, information technology and community work. TAFE colleges are owned, operated and financed by the various state/territory governments.

Qualifications awarded by TAFE collegesEdit

TAFE colleges award Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications accredited in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector that align to Certificate I, Certificate II, Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma qualifications.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In many instances, TAFE study at a Diploma or above level can be used as partial credit towards bachelor's degree-level university programs.Template:Citation needed

From 2002 the TAFE education sector has been able to offer bachelor's degrees and post-graduate diploma courses to fill niche areas, particularly vocationally focused areas of study based on industry needs. As of June 2009, ten TAFE colleges (mainly in New South Wales<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Victoria, but also Western Australia, ACT, and Queensland) now confer their own degree-level awards and post graduate diplomas, though initially not beyond the level of bachelor's degree. However Melbourne Polytechnic was accredited in 2015 to offer two master's degree courses.<ref name="annualreport2014p22">Melbourne Polytechnic Annual Report p. 22</ref> Similarly, some universities (e.g., Charles Darwin University and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) offer vocational education courses (traditionally the domain of TAFE); these are funded by the local state and territory governments. Some high schools also deliver courses developed and accredited by TAFEs.<ref name="theage2002">"TAFE gears up to offer degrees" by Rebecca Scott, The Age, 24 July 2002. Accessed 3 August 2008.</ref><ref name="highered_in_tafe">Leesa Wheelahan, Gavin Moodie, Stephen Billett and Ann Kelly, Higher education in TAFE Template:Webarchive, research report published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 3 September 2009. Accessed 24 September 2009.</ref>

Students who enrol in these undergraduate degree courses at TAFE are required to pay full fees and are not entitled to Commonwealth Government supported student fee loans, known as HECS loans, but may access a FEE-HELP loan scheme.<ref>See Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations, Full Fees and FEE-HELP (Template:Webarchive), goingtouni.gov.au website. Accessed 19 September 2011.</ref> While Universities have the ability and power to design and offer their own degree courses, each TAFE degree course must be assessed and approved by the Higher Education Accreditation Committee (HEAC).<ref name="theage2002" />

TAFEs in some states can also teach senior high school qualifications, like the Victorian Certificate of Education, Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, and the Higher School Certificate. Some universities, e.g. Charles Darwin University and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, offer TAFE courses; these are funded by the local state and territory governments. Some high schools also deliver courses developed and accredited by TAFEs.

Some private institutions also offer courses from TAFEs, however they more commonly offer other vocational education and training courses. Before the 1990s, the TAFEs had a near monopoly in the sector. TAFE courses provide students an opportunity for certificate, diploma, and advanced diploma qualifications in a wide range of areas.

TAFE colleges by state/territoryEdit

Template:No sources In most cases, TAFE campuses are grouped into TAFE institutions or institutes along geographic lines. Most TAFEs are given a locally recognised region of the country where they exclusively operate covering a wide range of subjects.

A few TAFEs specialise in a single area of study. These are usually found near the middle of the capital cities, and they service the whole state or territory. For example, the Trade and Technician Skills Institute in Brisbane, from 1 July 2006, has specialised in automotive, building and construction, manufacturing and engineering, and electrical/electronic studies for students throughout Queensland and the William Angliss Institute of TAFE in Melbourne has specialised in food, hospitality and tourism courses for Victoria.

Australian Capital TerritoryEdit

In the Australian Capital Territory, these include:

New South WalesEdit

There were ten TAFE NSW Institutes in NSW, which have since been joined into a state-wide service. OTEN or TAFE Digital<ref>https://www.tafensw.edu.au/digital</ref> is TAFE's online offering.

Northern TerritoryEdit

In the Northern Territory, these include:

QueenslandEdit

In Queensland, TAFE Queensland includes:

As of May 2014, the TAFE institutes have amalgamated into six regions of the central TAFE Queensland (parent body). The regions of TAFE Queensland are:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Brisbane (formerly Brisbane North Institute of TAFE, Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE and Southbank Institute of Technology)
  • Gold Coast (formerly Gold Coast Institute of TAFE)
  • East Coast (formerly Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE and Wide Bay Institute of TAFE)
  • South West (formerly Bremer Institute of TAFE and Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE)
  • North (formerly Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE, Mount Isa Institute of TAFE and Tropical North Queensland TAFE)
  • SkillsTech (formerly SkillsTech Australia)

And as of the 1 July 2014, Central Queensland TAFE (branded as CQ TAFE) was merged into Central Queensland University (branded as CQUniversity) to create Queensland's first dual sector university.

South AustraliaEdit

In South Australia:

TasmaniaEdit

In Tasmania, there are two government TAFE organisations:

  • TasTAFE includes:
    • Institute of TAFE Tasmania (general)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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    • Drysdale Institute (for tourism and hospitality)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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VictoriaEdit

In Victoria these include:

Western AustraliaEdit

File:Central TAFE, Perth, Western Australia.jpg
North Metropolitan TAFE Perth campus

In Western Australia, this includes:

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  • Central Regional TAFE (Formerly Durack Institute of Technology, Goldfields Institute of Technology & C. Y. O'Connor Institute)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • North Regional TAFE (Formerly Kimberley TAFE & Pilbara Institute)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

State and territory TAFE websitesEdit

Victorian Association of TAFE LibrariesEdit

Vocational education and training (VET)Edit

TAFE union sitesEdit

TAFE course comparison sites

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